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Comparing Cooking Schools
By now you should have made a decision regarding the type of degree that you want to attain, and whether or not you would like to enroll in a public or private institution. Since there are numerous cooking colleges in the Oshkosh area and across the Country, you need to create a checklist of important qualifiers so that you can begin limiting your options. Certain obvious qualifiers, for example cost and location are a good place to start. But deciding on a school because it is the nearest or the least expensive is not the ideal way to decide on your education. There are other variables, including accreditation and reputation that you need to review also. So following are some critical areas that you will need to research for every school as you compare and contrast them and make your ultimate choice.
Accreditation. It's very important that the cooking school you choose has some type of accreditation from either a regional or a national authority. As aforementioned, the accrediting agency should be a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged organization, for example the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have successfully completed a comprehensive assessment regarding their curriculum, instructors and facilities. So not only does accreditation help establish that you will receive excellent training, but it can also help in obtaining a student loan or financial aid which are often not accessible for non-accredited schools.
Age. Newer schools frequently have the advantage of possessing modern equipment and facilities. However, they may not have been in operation long enough to acquire an accreditation or to establish a reputation. Conversely, more established schools may still be using their original, outdated equipment, but have established a sustained history of excellence and earned one or more accreditations. Also, the much more a school has been in business, the more alumni the school can solicit for its job assistance program. Naturally there is some give and take dependent on the age of the culinary schools. And older, more reputable schools usually modernize their facilities and equipment. The significant 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 modern equipment.
Job Placement Rates. First, find out what the graduation rates are for the culinary institutes you are examining. Lower graduation rates are signs that a number of students were unhappy with either the colleges or the courses and quit before graduating. They can also signify that the teachers were not competent to teach the curriculum. Request that the schools provide their job placement rates as well. If a college has a high job placement rate, it will help verify that it has a good or exceptional reputation within the cooking community, as well as a large network of professional contacts. Watch out for any school that will not furnish this information.
Location. The cooking school that you choose should be within commuting distance of your Oshkosh residence, unless you are willing to relocate. You may consider attending school online, but you would still have to travel for your externship program. On the other hand, maybe you have decided to enroll in a particular culinary institute located in a different state because of its prominence and courses offered. It would be a wise decision to check out the campus before enrolling, to make sure that you are comfortable with the area and your prospective living conditions. Check the training facilities personally to make sure they are modern and that the equipment is contemporary. Keep in mind also that many schools target their job placement programs within their regional communities, so pick a location where you will be happy working.
Class Sizes. The most effective method to learn how to cook is with lots of one-on-one instruction. If the cooking college you enroll in has larger classes, you will probably receive little personal attention from the teachers. The best means to assess the interaction between instructors and students is to audit some of the classes. Ask a couple of the students what their experience has been. Ascertain if they are pleased with the level of attention they get in class as well as the overall training. Also, talk with several of the teachers and determine what their teaching approaches are together with their experiences and credentials.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no point in enrolling in a culinary arts school if you will not be able to attend the classes. So make certain that the school you select offers class scheduling that will fit in with your busy lifestyle. If you can only attend at night or on Saturdays or Sundays near Oshkosh WI because of your work schedule, make certain that the school you choose offers either night or weekend classes. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the culinary college has a part-time offering. Also, ask what the make-up protocol is if you need to miss a class due to work, family or other obligations.
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