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Comparing Culinary Colleges
At this point you should have decided on the type of degree that you want to earn, and if you want to enroll in a private or a public institute. Since there a large number of cooking programs in the Menomonie area and within the United States, you will want to develop a checklist of essential qualifications so that you can begin limiting your options. Certain obvious qualifications, such as cost and location are an excellent place to begin. But deciding on a school because it is the closest or the least expensive is not the ideal way to make a decision regarding your education. There are other factors, for instance accreditation and reputation that you must review as well. So following are some critical areas that you will need to research for every school as you compare them and make your final selection.
Accreditation. It's imperative that the culinary program you choose has some form of accreditation from either a regional or a national agency. As aforementioned, the accrediting authority should be a U.S. Department of Education certified agency, for instance the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have successfully completed a thorough evaluation regarding their curriculum, instructors and facilities. So not only does accreditation help ensure that you will receive excellent training, but it can also help in acquiring a student loan or financial assistance which are often not offered for non-accredited schools.
Age. Recently established schools generally have the advantage of possessing modern equipment and facilities. However, they may not have been operating long enough to acquire an accreditation or to develop a reputation. On the other hand, more established schools may still be using their original, dated equipment, but have established a sustained history of success and obtained one or more accreditations. Also, the much more a school has been in business, the more alumni the school can solicit for its job placement program. Obviously 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 chosen school will have an excellent reputation, accreditation and a state-of-the-art facility with modern equipment.
Job Placement Rates. Initially, find out what the graduation rates are for the culinary institutions you are examining. Lower graduation rates are red flags that many students were dissatisfied with either the colleges or the programs and dropped out. They may also suggest that the instructors were not qualified to teach the curriculum. Ask the schools to provide their job placement rates as well. If a college has a high job placement rate, it will help validate that it has a great or exceptional reputation within the culinary arts community, in addition to a large network of professional connections. Be skeptical of any school that will not furnish this information.
Location. The culinary college that you choose should be within commuting distance of your Menomonie residence, unless you have decided to move. You may look into attending college online, but you would still need to travel for your externship training. On the other hand, maybe you have opted to enroll in a particular culinary arts institute located in a different state because of its prominence and courses offered. It would be a good idea to pay a visit to the campus before enrolling, to make sure that you are comfortable with the area and your potential living conditions. Check the training facilities personally to make certain they are modern and that the equipment is contemporary. Remember also that some schools target their job placement programs within their regional communities, so select a location where you will be happy working.
Class Sizes. The ideal way to learn how to cook is with lots of one-on-one training. If the culinary college you enroll in has bigger classes, you will most likely receive little personal attention from the instructors. The optimal way to evaluate the interaction and communication 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 satisfied with the amount of attention they get in class in addition to the entire course of training. Also, talk with a few of the instructors and find out what their teaching philosophies are as well as their experiences and credentials.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no benefit to in enrolling in a culinary institute if you will not be able to attend the classes. Therefore confirm that the school you select has available class scheduling that can accommodate your active lifestyle. If you can only attend at night or on weekends near Menomonie WI due to your job schedule, make sure that the school you decide on offers either weekend or night classes. If you can only attend part-time, check that the culinary arts college has a part-time option. Also, check to see what the make-up policy is if you have to miss a class due to family, work or other commitments.
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