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Comparing Culinary Arts Institutions
By now you should have made a decision regarding the type of degree that you wish to attain, and if you want to enroll in a public or private institute. Since there are numerous cooking institutions in the Madison area and within the United States, you must create a checklist of important qualifications so that you can start narrowing down your choices. A few obvious qualifiers, including cost and location are a good place to start. But choosing a school because it is the nearest or the most affordable is not the ideal way to make a decision regarding your education. There are other criteria, including accreditation and reputation that you must review also. So below are some critical areas that you should research for each school as you compare and contrast them and make your final choice.
Accreditation. It's imperative that the culinary college you decide on has some form of accreditation from either a regional or a national authority. As aforementioned, the accrediting agency should be a U.S. Department of Education certified organization, for instance the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have successfully completed a thorough evaluation pertaining to their curriculum, instructors and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help ascertain that you will receive exceptional training, but it may also help in acquiring a student loan or financial aid which are generally not accessible for non-accredited schools.
Age. Recently established schools often have the benefit of possessing modern equipment and facilities. However, they may not have been operating long enough to acquire an accreditation or to establish a reputation. On the other hand, more established schools may still be using their original, dated equipment, but have established a sustained track record of success and acquired one or more accreditations. Also, the much more a school has operated, the more graduates the school can solicit for its job assistance program. Certainly there is some give and take based on the age of the culinary schools. And older, more renowned schools typically modernize their facilities and equipment. The valuable lesson is that in the best case scenario, your school of choice will have an outstanding reputation, accreditation and a modern facility with modern equipment.
Job Placement Rates. First off, find out what the graduation rates are for the culinary institutes you are reviewing. Low graduation rates are indicators that numerous students were unhappy with either the colleges or the courses and dropped out. They might also indicate that the instructors were not competent to teach the curriculum. Request that the schools provide their job placement rates as well. If a school has a high job placement rate, it will help confirm that it has a good or exceptional reputation within the culinary field, in addition to a broad network of professional associations. Be suspicious of any school that will not provide this information.
Location. The culinary arts college that you enroll in must be within commuting distance of your Madison residence, unless you have decided to move. You may consider attending classes online, but you would still have to travel for your externship training. Alternatively, maybe you have decided to attend a specific culinary arts school located in another state because of its reputation and programs offered. It would be a wise decision to pay a visit to the facility before enrolling, to make sure that you are comfortable with the area and your potential living conditions. Check the training facilities in person to make certain they are modern and that the equipment is state of the art. Keep in mind also that some schools target their job placement programs within their regional communities, so pick a location where you will be happy working.
Class Sizes. The best way to learn how to cook is with a lot of personalized training. If the cooking school you enroll in has large classes, you will probably get minimal individual attention from the teachers. The optimal manner in which to assess the communication and interaction between teachers and students is to attend a few of the classes. Ask some of the students what their experience has been. Ascertain if they are happy with the level of attention they receive in class as well as the overall training. Also, talk with several of the instructors and determine what their teaching styles are together with their experiences and credentials.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no benefit to in enrolling in a culinary arts college if you will be unable to attend the classes. Therefore make sure that the school you decide on has available class scheduling that can fit in with your active lifestyle. If you can only attend at night or on weekends near Madison WI due to your work schedule, confirm that the school you choose offers either weekend or evening classes. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, verify that the culinary arts school has a part-time alternative. Also, ask what the make-up policy is if you have to miss a class due to family, work or other responsibilities.
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