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Researching Culinary Arts Schools
At this point you should have made a decision regarding the type of degree that you plan to attain, and if you want to enroll in a public or private college. Since there a large number of culinary colleges in the Marshfield area and across the USA, you must develop a checklist of essential qualifiers so that you can begin limiting your options. Certain obvious qualifiers, including location and cost are an excellent place to begin. But picking a school because it is the closest or the cheapest is not the best way to decide on your education. There are other considerations, including reputation and accreditation that you need to assess as well. So below are some key areas that you must investigate for each school as you compare them and make your final choice.
Accreditation. It's imperative that the culinary arts program you select has some form of accreditation from either a regional or a national organization. As aforementioned, the accrediting organization should be a U.S. Department of Education recognized agency, for instance the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have passed a detailed review relating to their course of study, teachers and facilities. So not only does accreditation help ascertain that you will receive quality training, but it can also assist in obtaining a student loan or financial aid which are frequently not available for non-accredited schools.
Age. Newer schools often have the advantage of having modern equipment and facilities. However, they may not have been in operation long enough to earn an accreditation or to develop a reputation. Conversely, more established schools may still be using their original, outdated equipment, but have established a sustained history of success and acquired one or more accreditations. Also, the longer a school has been in operation, the more alumni the school can solicit for its job placement program. Naturally there is some give and take based on the age of the culinary schools. And older, more renowned schools typically update their facilities and equipment. The valuable takeaway is that in the best case scenario, your selected school will have an excellent reputation, accreditation and a state-of-the-art facility with modern equipment.
Job Placement Rates. First, ask what the graduation rates are for the culinary arts institutions you are evaluating. Lower graduation rates are signs that numerous students were unhappy with either the schools or the courses and dropped out. They might also signify that the teachers were not qualified to teach the course of study. Ask the schools to supply their job placement rates also. If a school has a higher job placement rate, it will help affirm that it has a good or exceptional reputation within the cooking field, as well as a wide network of professional connections. Watch out for any school that will not furnish this information.
Location. The culinary institute that you choose must be within commuting distance of your Marshfield home, unless you can move. You may look into attending school online, but you would still have to travel for your externship training. Alternatively, perhaps you have chosen to go to a specific culinary school located in a different state due to its prominence and courses offered. It would be a wise decision to check out the campus before enrolling, to make sure that you are satisfied with the area and your prospective living conditions. Check the training facilities in person to make sure they are modern and that the equipment is state of the art. Consider also that many schools focus their job placement programs within their local communities, so select a location where you will be happy working.
Class Sizes. The ideal approach to learn how to cook is with lots of one-on-one instruction. If the cooking institute you enroll in has bigger classes, you will undoubtedly receive limited individual attention from the teachers. The optimal way to assess the interaction between teachers and students is to attend several of the classes. Ask some of the students what their experience has been. Ascertain if they are pleased with the amount of attention they receive in class as well as the overall training. Also, speak with some of the teachers and find out what their teaching styles are along with their backgrounds and credentials.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no benefit to in enrolling in a culinary arts school if you will be unable to attend the classes. Therefore make certain that the school you pick offers class scheduling that will work with your hectic lifestyle. If you can only attend at night or on Saturdays or Sundays near Marshfield WI because of your work schedule, make sure that the school you choose offers either weekend or evening classes. If you can only attend part-time, check that the culinary arts college has a part-time offering. Also, check to see what the make-up policy is if you have to miss a class due to family, work or other responsibilities.
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