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Comparing Culinary Institutions
By now you should have decided on the type of degree that you want to attain, and if you would like to enroll in a public or private institution. Since there are numerous culinary institutions in the West Bend area and across the United States, you need to create a checklist of important qualifiers so that you can begin limiting your options. Some obvious qualifiers, including cost and location are a good place to begin. But selecting a school because it is the nearest or the least expensive is not the best way to make a decision regarding your education. There are other criteria, for instance reputation and accreditation that you should review also. So below are some critical areas that you will need to research for every school as you compare and contrast them and make your ultimate selection.
Accreditation. It's important that the cooking school you select has some form of accreditation from either a local or a national agency. As previously mentioned, the accrediting agency should be a U.S. Department of Education recognized organization, for instance the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have passed a comprehensive evaluation pertaining to their curriculum, instructors and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help ensure that you will receive excellent training, but it may also help in acquiring a student loan or financial aid which are often not offered for non-accredited schools.
Age. Recently established schools often have the advantage of having modern equipment and facilities. However, they may not have been operating long enough to earn an accreditation or to establish a reputation. On the other hand, older schools may still be using their original, outdated equipment, but have established a sustained history of success and earned one or more accreditations. Also, the longer 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 based on the age of the culinary arts schools. And older, more reputable schools typically update their facilities and equipment. The significant takeaway is that in the best case scenario, your school of choice will have an outstanding reputation, accreditation and a modern facility with newer equipment.
Job Placement Rates. First, find out what the graduation rates are for the cooking colleges you are examining. Low graduation rates are signs that many students were dissatisfied with either the colleges or the courses and quit before graduating. They may also indicate that the teachers were not competent to teach the course of study. Ask the schools to supply their job placement rates as well. If a college has a high job placement rate, it will help confirm that it has a great or outstanding reputation within the culinary arts community, in addition to a large network of professional relationships. Watch out for any school that will not provide this information.
Location. The cooking institute that you attend must be within commuting distance of your West Bend home, unless you are able to relocate. You may think about attending classes online, but you would still need to travel for your externship training. Conversely, maybe you have decided to enroll in a particular culinary arts institute located in a different state due to its prominence and courses offered. It would be a wise decision to pay a visit to the campus before enrolling, to make certain that you are satisfied with the location and your prospective living conditions. Look over the training facilities in person to make sure they are modern and that the equipment is state of the art. Consider also that a number of schools focus their job assistance programs within their regional communities, so pick a location where you will enjoy working.
Class Sizes. The ideal approach to learn how to cook is with plenty of one-on-one training. If the culinary school you enroll in has larger classes, you will probably get limited individual attention from the instructors. The ideal means to evaluate the interaction between teachers and students is to sit in on some of the classes. Ask some of the students what their experience has been. Ascertain if they are pleased with the amount of attention they get in class in addition to the overall training. Also, speak with a few of the teachers and learn what their teaching approaches are together with their backgrounds and qualifications.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no sense in enrolling in a cooking college if you will not be able to attend the classes. Therefore make certain that the school you pick provides class scheduling that can work with your busy lifestyle. If you can only attend at night or on Saturdays or Sundays near West Bend WI because of your work schedule, confirm that the school you decide on offers either weekend or evening classes. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the culinary institute has a part-time offering. Also, ask what the make-up protocol is if you have to miss a class because of family, work or other obligations.
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