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Evaluating Culinary Arts Institutes
By now you should have made a decision regarding the type of degree that you want to earn, and if you want to enroll in a private or a public school. Since there are numerous culinary colleges in the Nashua area and across the Country, you need to create a checklist of important qualifiers so that you can begin narrowing your choices. Some obvious qualifications, for example cost and location are an excellent place to begin. But deciding on a school because it is the closest or the least expensive is not the optimal way to decide on your education. There are other criteria, such as reputation and accreditation that you should evaluate as well. Therefore, below are some critical areas that you need to investigate for every school as you compare them and make your final choice.
Accreditation. It's important that the culinary arts institute you select has some type of accreditation from either a local or a national organization. As aforementioned, the accrediting organization should be a U.S. Department of Education recognized agency, for example the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have passed a thorough assessment pertaining to their curriculum, teachers and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help ensure that you will receive excellent training, but it can also help in obtaining a student loan or financial aid which are generally not available for non-accredited schools.
Age. Newer schools often have the advantage of having modern facilities and equipment. However, they may not have been operating long enough to acquire an accreditation or to establish a reputation. On the other hand, more established schools may still be using their original, dated equipment, but have established a sustained history of success and received one or more accreditations. Also, the much more a school has operated, the more graduates the school can solicit for its job placement program. Obviously there is some give and take dependent on the age of the cooking schools. And older, more renowned schools commonly modernize their facilities and equipment. The significant takeaway is that in the best case scenario, your chosen school will have an excellent reputation, accreditation and a modern facility with newer equipment.
Job Placement Rates. First, find out what the graduation rates are for the culinary institutes you are examining. Lower graduation rates are indications that a number of students were unhappy with either the schools or the training and quit before graduating. They may also signify that the instructors 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 excellent reputation within the culinary arts community, in addition to a broad network of professional connections. Be suspicious of any school that will not furnish this information.
Location. The culinary arts college that you enroll in should be within driving distance of your Nashua residence, unless you can relocate. You may think about attending school online, but you would still have to travel for your externship training. On the other hand, maybe you have opted to enroll in a specific culinary institute located in another state due to its reputation and programs offered. It would be a good idea to visit the facility before enrolling, to make certain that you are satisfied with the area and your future living conditions. Inspect the training facilities personally to make certain they are up to date and that the equipment is state of the art. Consider also that many schools target their job assistance programs within their local communities, so choose a location where you will enjoy working.
Class Sizes. The most effective approach to learn how to cook is with plenty of one-on-one training. If the culinary arts program you enroll in has larger classes, you will most likely get limited personal attention from the instructors. The ideal way to evaluate the interaction between faculty and students is to sit in on several of the classes. Ask a couple of the students what their experience has been. Find out if they are satisfied with the amount of attention they get in class as well as the overall training. Also, speak with some of the teachers and find out what their teaching styles are as well as their histories and qualifications.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no benefit to in enrolling in a culinary school if you will not be able to attend the classes. So confirm that the school you choose provides class scheduling that will work with your hectic lifestyle. If you can only attend in the evening or on weekends near Nashua NH because of your job schedule, check that the school you decide on offers either weekend or night classes. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the culinary program has a part-time alternative. Also, ask what the make-up policy is if you must miss a class as a result of work, family or other obligations.
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