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Researching Cooking Colleges
By now 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 school. Since there are numerous culinary arts programs in the Manchester area and across the USA, you must develop a checklist of important qualifications so that you can start limiting your options. Certain obvious qualifications, 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 optimal way to make a decision regarding your education. There are other factors, including reputation and accreditation that you should review also. Therefore, below are some crucial areas that you need to investigate for each school as you compare them and make your final selection.
Accreditation. It's very important that the culinary institute you select has some form of accreditation from either a regional or a national authority. As aforementioned, the accrediting agency should be a U.S. Department of Education recognized agency, such as the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have passed a thorough assessment relating to their curriculum, teachers and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help ascertain that you will receive quality training, but it may also help in acquiring a student loan or financial assistance which are often not offered for non-accredited schools.
Age. Recently established schools often have the advantage of possessing modern equipment and facilities. However, they may not have been open long enough to garner an accreditation or to cultivate a reputation. Conversely, more established schools may still be using their original, dated equipment, but have established a long track record of excellence and earned one or more accreditations. Also, the longer a school has operated, the more graduates the school can reach out to for its job placement program. Certainly there is some give and take based on the age of the culinary arts schools. And older, more highly regarded schools typically update their equipment and facilities. The valuable lesson is that in the best case scenario, your school of choice will have an excellent reputation, accreditation and a state-of-the-art facility with modern equipment.
Job Placement Rates. To begin with, find out what the graduation rates are for the culinary arts institutes you are reviewing. Lower graduation rates are red flags that numerous students were unhappy with either the institutes or the training and quit before graduating. They can also indicate that the teachers were not qualified to teach the curriculum. Request that the schools furnish their job placement rates as well. If a school has a higher job placement rate, it will help confirm that it has a good or outstanding reputation within the culinary community, as well as a large network of professional associations. Watch out for any school that will not furnish this information.
Location. The culinary arts college that you enroll in should be within commuting distance of your Manchester home, unless you are able to relocate. You may look into attending college online, but you would still have to travel for your externship program. On the other hand, maybe you have opted to enroll in a particular culinary institute located in a different state due to its ranking and programs offered. It would be a wise decision to visit the campus before enrolling, to make certain that you are satisfied with the area and your prospective living conditions. Inspect the training facilities in person to make certain they are modern and that the equipment is contemporary. Remember also that many schools target their job placement programs within their local communities, so choose a location where you will satisfied working.
Class Sizes. The ideal approach to learn how to cook is with lots of personalized training. If the culinary college you enroll in has bigger classes, you will most likely get minimal personal attention from the instructors. The optimal manner in which to evaluate the interaction and communication between instructors and students is to audit several of the classes. Ask a couple of the students what their experience has been. Ascertain if they are satisfied with the amount of attention they get in class as well as the overall training. Also, talk with a few of the instructors and determine what their teaching styles are along with their backgrounds and credentials.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no benefit to in enrolling in a culinary program if you will be unable to attend the classes. So make sure 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 Manchester NH due to your work schedule, confirm that the school you select offers either night or weekend classes. If you can only attend part-time, verify that the cooking program has a part-time option. Also, ask what the make-up protocol is if you must miss a class as a result of family, work or other responsibilities.
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