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Evaluating Culinary Colleges
By now you should have decided on the type of degree that you want to attain, and whether or not you want to enroll in a public or private institute. Since there a large number of culinary colleges in the Goffstown area and within the USA, you must develop a checklist of essential qualifications so that you can begin narrowing your options. A few obvious qualifications, such as cost and location are an excellent place to begin. But deciding on a school because it is the nearest or the least expensive is not the best way to decide on your education. There are other considerations, for instance reputation and accreditation that you need to evaluate as well. Therefore, below are some crucial areas that you will need to research for every school as you compare them and make your final choice.
Accreditation. It's important that the culinary school you choose has some type of accreditation from either a local or a national organization. As mentioned previously, the accrediting agency should be a U.S. Department of Education certified agency, such as the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have passed a thorough review regarding their curriculum, teachers and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help ensure that you will receive excellent training, but it can also help in acquiring a student loan or financial aid which are generally not available for non-accredited schools.
Age. Newer schools often have the advantage of possessing modern facilities and equipment. However, they may not have been in operation long enough to garner an accreditation or to cultivate a reputation. Conversely, more established schools may still be using their original, outdated equipment, but have established a long track record of success and earned one or more accreditations. Also, the much more a school has operated, the more alumni the school can reach out to for its job assistance program. Obviously there is some give and take dependent on the age of the culinary schools. And older, more renowned schools usually modernize their equipment and facilities. The valuable takeaway is that in the best case scenario, your selected school will have an excellent reputation, accreditation and a modern facility with modern equipment.
Job Placement Rates. First, ask what the graduation rates are for the cooking programs you are looking at. Low graduation rates are red flags that a number of students were unhappy with either the schools or the programs and quit before graduating. They can also suggest that the instructors were not competent to teach the curriculum. Ask the schools to furnish 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 cooking community, in addition to a wide network of professional associations. Be skeptical of any school that will not furnish this information.
Location. The culinary arts school that you enroll in should be within commuting distance of your Goffstown home, unless you have decided to move. You may consider attending school online, but you would still have to travel for your externship training. Alternatively, perhaps you have decided to go to a particular culinary college located in a different state because of its ranking and programs offered. It would be a wise decision to check out the campus before enrolling, to make certain that you are comfortable with the area and your prospective living conditions. Tour the training facilities in person to make sure they are up to date and that the equipment is state of the art. Keep in mind also that some schools focus their job placement programs within their local communities, so choose a location where you will be happy working.
Class Sizes. The best method to learn how to cook is with a lot of one-on-one instruction. If the culinary school you enroll in has bigger classes, you will undoubtedly receive limited individual attention from the instructors. The best way to assess the interaction between instructors and students is to audit a few of the classes. Ask some of the students what their experience has been. Ascertain if they are pleased with the level of attention they receive in class as well as the entire course of training. Also, talk with a couple of the instructors and determine what their teaching styles are along with their backgrounds and credentials.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no point in enrolling in a culinary arts college if you will not be able to attend the classes. So make certain that the school you choose provides class scheduling that will fit in with your hectic lifestyle. If you can only attend at night or on Saturdays or Sundays near Goffstown NH due to your job schedule, make certain that the school you pick offers either weekend or night classes. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the culinary arts program has a part-time option. Also, find out what the make-up protocol is if you have to miss a class as a result of family, work or other responsibilities.
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