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Evaluating Culinary Arts Colleges
By now you should have made a decision regarding the type of degree that you wish to attain, and if you want to enroll in a public or private college. Since there are numerous culinary arts institutions in the Atlantic City area and within the United States, you need to create a checklist of important qualifiers so that you can begin narrowing down your choices. Certain obvious qualifiers, including cost and location are a good place to begin. But picking a school because it is the nearest or the most affordable is not the optimal way to make a decision regarding your education. There are other criteria, including reputation and accreditation that you must evaluate as well. Therefore, following are some crucial areas that you will need to research for each school as you compare and contrast them and make your ultimate choice.
Accreditation. It's very important that the culinary college you pick has some type of accreditation from either a local or a national agency. As aforementioned, the accrediting authority should be a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged agency, for instance the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have successfully completed a thorough assessment regarding their course of study, instructors and facilities. So not only does accreditation help ensure that you will receive excellent training, but it may also help in acquiring a student loan or financial assistance which are generally 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 operating long enough to acquire an accreditation or to develop a reputation. Conversely, older schools may still be using their original, outdated equipment, but have established a sustained history of success and obtained one or more accreditations.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. Naturally there is some give and take dependent on the age of the culinary schools. And older, more highly regarded schools typically update their facilities and equipment. The important takeaway is that in the best case scenario, your chosen school will have an outstanding reputation, accreditation and a modern facility with newer equipment.
Job Placement Rates. First, find out what the graduation rates are for the cooking colleges you are evaluating. Lower graduation rates are red flags that many students were dissatisfied with either the schools or the training and quit before graduating. They might also suggest that the instructors were not qualified to teach the course of study. Ask the schools to provide their job placement rates also. If a college has a high job placement rate, it will help affirm 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 supply this information.
Location. The culinary arts institute that you attend should be within commuting distance of your Atlantic City home, unless you have decided to relocate. You may look into attending classes online, but you would still need to travel for your externship training. On the other hand, maybe you have chosen to enroll in a particular culinary arts college located in another state because of its reputation and courses offered. It would be a good idea to visit the campus before enrolling, to make sure that you are comfortable with the area and your potential living conditions. Look over the training facilities personally to make certain they are up to date and that the equipment is contemporary. Remember also that some schools focus their job assistance programs within their regional communities, so select a location where you will be happy working.
Class Sizes. The ideal approach to learn how to cook is with plenty of personalized instruction. If the cooking school you enroll in has large classes, you will most likely get minimal individual attention from the teachers. The optimal means to evaluate the communication and interaction between instructors and students is to sit in on several 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 receive in class in addition to the entire course of training. Also, talk with a couple of the instructors and learn what their teaching styles are as well as their backgrounds and qualifications.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no point in enrolling in a cooking program if you will be unable to attend the classes. So make certain that the school you select offers class scheduling that can work with your active lifestyle. If you can only attend in the evening or on weekends near Atlantic City NJ due to your work schedule, make sure that the school you decide on offers either night or weekend classes. If you can only attend part-time, confirm that the culinary arts college has a part-time option. Also, check to see what the make-up policy is if you need to miss a class because of work, family or other responsibilities.
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