While most people start looking around for cooking schools in their immediate area it is also very important to take a bit of time to look around for schools that are in close by areas as well.  Driving a small way to obtain the best cooking education possible is well worth the effort and can allow you to ensure that you really do get what is best for you.  If you are determined to only stay within your specific area, you might be cutting yourself short in the long term while looking at school options.  This can significantly harm your career and is not worthy of the risk.