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Comparing Cooking Institutions
At this point you should have decided on the type of degree that you wish to earn, and if you would like to enroll in a public or private school. Since there a large number of culinary institutions in the Salem area and across the United States, you must develop a checklist of essential qualifiers so that you can start limiting your options. Certain obvious qualifiers, for instance location and cost 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 factors, such as accreditation and reputation that you should review also. So following are some key areas that you should investigate for each school as you compare them and make your ultimate selection.
Accreditation. It's very important that the culinary college you decide on has some form of accreditation from either a regional or a national agency. As previously mentioned, the accrediting organization should be a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged agency, such as the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have successfully completed a thorough evaluation pertaining to their course of study, instructors and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help establish that you will receive quality training, but it may also assist in acquiring a student loan or financial assistance which are often not accessible for non-accredited schools.
Age. Recently established schools frequently have the benefit of possessing modern equipment and facilities. However, they may not have been in operation 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 On the other hand, older schools may still be using their original, outdated equipment, but have established a sustained track record of excellence and earned one or more accreditations. Also, the much more a school has been in operation, the more graduates the school can solicit for its job placement program. Naturally there is some give and take dependent on the age of the cooking schools. And older, more renowned schools typically update their facilities and equipment. The significant takeaway 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, ask what the graduation rates are for the culinary arts colleges you are evaluating. Low graduation rates are indications that many students were dissatisfied with either the schools or the courses and quit before graduating. They might also indicate that the teachers were not competent to teach the curriculum. Ask the schools to provide their job placement rates also. If a college has a higher job placement rate, it will help confirm that it has a good or exceptional reputation within the culinary arts field, as well as a wide network of professional contacts. Be suspicious of any school that will not furnish this information.
Location. The culinary school that you enroll in must be within commuting distance of your Salem home, unless you are willing to move. You may consider attending college online, but you would still have to travel for your externship training. Conversely, maybe you have opted to enroll in a specific culinary school located in a different state due to its prominence and courses offered. It would be a wise decision to pay a visit to the facility before enrolling, to make sure that you are comfortable with the area and your future living conditions. Look over 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 placement programs within their local communities, so choose a location where you will be happy working.
Class Sizes. The most effective approach to learn how to cook is with lots of one-on-one instruction. If the cooking institute you enroll in has large classes, you will undoubtedly get little individual attention from the teachers. The ideal way to assess the interaction and communication between faculty and students is to sit in on a few of the classes. Ask a couple of the students what their experience has been. Ascertain if they are happy with the amount of attention they get in class as well as the entire course of training. Also, speak with some of the teachers and determine what their teaching styles are as well as their experiences and credentials.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no sense in enrolling in a culinary arts college if you will not be able to attend the classes. So make sure that the school you pick provides class scheduling that can fit in with your active lifestyle. If you can only attend at night or on Saturdays or Sundays near Salem NH because of your work schedule, check that the school you pick offers either weekend or night classes. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, confirm that the cooking school has a part-time option. 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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