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Contrasting Culinary Arts Institutes
At this point you should have decided on the type of degree that you plan to attain, and if you would like to enroll in a public or private school. Since there are numerous cooking programs in the Kenosha area and within the USA, you will want to develop a checklist of essential qualifiers so that you can begin narrowing down your options. Certain obvious qualifications, for example cost and location are an excellent place to start. But deciding on a school because it is the closest or the cheapest is not the ideal way to make a decision regarding your education. There are other criteria, such as accreditation and reputation that you must assess as well. So following are some key areas that you should investigate for every school as you compare them and make your final decision.
Accreditation. It's imperative that the culinary institute you pick has some form of accreditation from either a regional or a national agency. As previously mentioned, the accrediting authority should be a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged agency, such as the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have passed a detailed evaluation pertaining to their course of study, teachers and facilities. So not only does accreditation help ascertain that you will receive excellent training, but it can also help in securing a student loan or financial assistance which are generally not accessible for non-accredited schools.
Age. Newer schools often have the advantage of possessing modern facilities and equipment. However, they may not have been open long enough to acquire an accreditation or to establish a reputation. Conversely, more established schools may still be using their original, dated equipment, but have established a long track record of excellence and earned one or more accreditations. Also, the much more a school has operated, the more graduates the school can solicit for its job placement program. Certainly there is some give and take based on the age of the cooking schools. And older, more renowned schools usually update their facilities and equipment. The important takeaway is that in the best case scenario, your selected school will have an exceptional reputation, accreditation and a state-of-the-art facility with newer equipment.
Job Placement Rates. Initially, find out what the graduation rates are for the culinary arts institutions you are assessing. Low graduation rates are signs that a number of students were unhappy with either the schools or the training and dropped out. They may also indicate that the instructors were not competent to teach the curriculum. Ask the schools to supply their job placement rates as well. If a college has a high job placement rate, it will help validate that it has a good or outstanding reputation within the culinary arts community, in addition to a large network of professional contacts. Be skeptical of any school that will not provide this information.
Location. The culinary arts institute that you choose should be within commuting distance of your Kenosha residence, unless you have decided to relocate. You may look into attending school online, but you would still need to travel for your externship training. Conversely, perhaps you have opted to enroll in a particular culinary arts college located in another state due to its prominence and courses offered. It would be a wise decision to pay a visit to the campus before enrolling, to make certain that you are comfortable with the area and your future living conditions. Look over the training facilities personally to make sure they are up to date and that the equipment is state of the art. Remember also that many schools concentrate their job assistance programs within their regional communities, so select a location where you will enjoy working.
Class Sizes. The most effective approach to learn how to cook is with lots of personalized training. If the culinary institute you enroll in has larger classes, you will undoubtedly get limited personal attention from the instructors. The best means to assess the interaction between faculty and students is to sit in on a few of the classes. Ask a couple of the students what their experience has been. Find out if they are satisfied with the level of attention they get in class as well as the entire course of training. Also, speak with a couple of the teachers and determine what their teaching philosophies are together with their histories and qualifications.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no sense in enrolling in a culinary arts college if you will be unable to attend the classes. So confirm that the school you pick has available class scheduling that will work with your active lifestyle. If you can only attend in the evening or on weekends near Kenosha WI because of your job schedule, make certain that the school you choose offers either weekend or evening classes. If you can only attend part-time, confirm that the culinary school has a part-time offering. Also, find out what the make-up policy is if you have to miss a class as a result of work, family or other responsibilities.
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