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Evaluating Culinary Arts Institutes
At this point you should have made a decision regarding the type of degree that you plan to earn, and whether or not you would like to enroll in a private or a public college. Since there are numerous culinary programs in the Manitowoc area and within the Country, you will want to develop a checklist of important qualifiers so that you can begin narrowing your options. A few obvious qualifications, for instance cost and location are an excellent place to start. But choosing a school because it is the closest or the cheapest is not the optimal way to make a decision regarding your education. There are other variables, such as accreditation and reputation that you should evaluate also. So below are some critical areas that you should research for each school as you compare and contrast them and make your final selection.
Accreditation. It's very important that the cooking college you decide on has some form of accreditation from either a regional or a national agency. As previously mentioned, the accrediting agency should be a U.S. Department of Education certified authority, such as the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have passed a comprehensive review pertaining to their course of study, teachers and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help ensure that you will receive quality training, but it may also help in securing a student loan or financial assistance which are often not available for non-accredited schools.
Age. Newer schools generally have the benefit of having modern facilities and equipment. However, they may not have been in operation long enough to garner an accreditation or to cultivate a reputation. On the other hand, older schools may still be using their original, dated equipment, but have established a long track record of excellence and received one or more accreditations. Also, the much more a school has been in operation, the more graduates the school can reach out to for its job assistance program. Naturally there is some give and take dependent on the age of the culinary schools. And older, more highly regarded schools typically update their facilities and equipment. The valuable lesson is that in the best case scenario, your selected school will have an excellent reputation, accreditation and a state-of-the-art facility with newer equipment.
Job Placement Rates. First, ask what the graduation rates are for the culinary arts schools you are evaluating. Low graduation rates are red flags that many students were unhappy with either the colleges or the training and quit before graduating. They can also suggest that the teachers were not competent to teach the curriculum. Request that the schools supply their job placement rates also. If a school has a higher job placement rate, it will help validate that it has a good or excellent reputation within the culinary arts field, as well as a broad network of professional connections. Watch out for any school that will not furnish this information.
Location. The culinary institute that you enroll in should be within driving distance of your Manitowoc residence, unless you can move. You may think about attending college online, but you would still need to travel for your externship program. Conversely, perhaps you have chosen to go to a specific culinary arts school located in a different state because of its ranking and courses offered. It would be a wise decision to pay a visit to the facility before enrolling, to make certain that you are comfortable with the location and your potential living conditions. Look over the training facilities in person to make certain they are modern and that the equipment is contemporary. Keep in mind also that some schools focus their job assistance programs within their local communities, so choose a location where you will enjoy working.
Class Sizes. The most effective method to learn how to cook is with a lot of one-on-one training. If the cooking program you enroll in has large classes, you will most likely receive little individual attention from the teachers. The optimal means to evaluate the interaction and communication between instructors and students is to attend a few of the classes. Ask a couple of the students what their experience has been. Find out if they are happy with the amount of attention they get in class as well as the entire course of training. Also, talk with a few of the teachers and find out what their teaching approaches are along with their backgrounds and qualifications.
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 certain that the school you decide on provides class scheduling that can work with your busy lifestyle. If you can only attend at night or on weekends near Manitowoc WI because of your job schedule, check that the school you select offers either weekend or night classes. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, check that the cooking institute has a part-time option. Also, find out what the make-up policy is if you need to miss a class due to work, family or other commitments.
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