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Comparing Culinary Arts Programs
At this point you should have decided on the type of degree that you wish to earn, and whether or not you would like to enroll in a public or private institution. Since there are numerous cooking programs in the Onalaska area and across the United States, you need to create a checklist of important qualifiers so that you can start narrowing down your choices. A few obvious qualifications, such as cost and location are a good place to start. But choosing a school because it is the nearest or the cheapest is not the best way to decide on your education. There are other variables, such as accreditation and reputation that you should evaluate as well. Therefore, below are some crucial areas that you need to research for every school as you compare them and make your final choice.
Accreditation. It's very important that the culinary arts college you decide on has some form of accreditation from either a local or a national organization. As previously mentioned, the accrediting organization 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 regarding their course of study, instructors and facilities. So not only does accreditation help establish that you will receive exceptional training, but it may also help in securing a student loan or financial aid which are generally 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 operating long enough to acquire an accreditation or to develop a reputation. On the other hand, older schools may still be using their original, outdated equipment, but have established a long history of excellence and earned one or more accreditations. Also, the much more a school has been in business, 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 cooking schools. And older, more renowned schools usually update their facilities and equipment. The important lesson 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, ask what the graduation rates are for the culinary programs you are reviewing. Low graduation rates are indications that many students were dissatisfied with either the institutes or the courses and quit before graduating. They might also signify that the instructors were not competent to teach the curriculum. Request that the schools provide their job placement rates also. If a school has a high job placement rate, it will help affirm that it has a great or exceptional reputation within the cooking field, in addition to a broad network of professional contacts. Be skeptical of any school that will not provide this information.
Location. The cooking school that you attend must be within driving distance of your Onalaska residence, unless you have decided to relocate. You may think about attending college online, but you would still need to travel for your externship training. Conversely, maybe you have chosen to go to a specific culinary arts school located in another state because of its prominence and courses offered. It would be a wise decision to visit the facility before enrolling, to make certain that you are comfortable with the area and your prospective living conditions. Inspect the training facilities personally to make certain they are up to date and that the equipment is state of the art. Remember also that a number of schools concentrate their job placement programs within their regional communities, so pick a location where you will be happy working.
Class Sizes. The ideal way to learn how to cook is with a lot of one-on-one training. If the cooking school you enroll in has larger classes, you will most likely get minimal individual attention from the instructors. The ideal means to assess the communication and interaction between teachers 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 level of attention they get in class in addition to the overall training. Also, talk with some of the teachers and learn what their teaching philosophies are as well as their histories and qualifications.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no point in enrolling in a culinary arts institute if you will be unable to attend the classes. So confirm that the school you choose offers class scheduling that will fit in with your busy lifestyle. If you can only attend in the evening or on Saturdays or Sundays near Onalaska WI because of your work schedule, verify that the school you pick offers either night or weekend classes. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the culinary institute has a part-time offering. Also, find out what the make-up protocol is if you must miss a class because of family, work or other responsibilities.
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