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Contrasting Culinary Arts Schools
At this point you should have made a decision regarding the type of degree that you want to attain, and if you would like to enroll in a public or private school. Since there a large number of culinary institutions in the Camden area and within the United States, you must create a checklist of essential qualifications so that you can begin narrowing your choices. Certain obvious qualifiers, such as location and cost are a good place to begin. But picking a school because it is the closest or the cheapest is not the optimal way to decide on your education. There are other considerations, such as reputation and accreditation that you should evaluate as well. So following are some crucial areas that you must research for each school as you compare them and make your final decision.
Accreditation. It's important that the culinary school you select has some form of accreditation from either a local or a national authority. As previously stated, the accrediting agency should be a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged authority, such as the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have successfully completed a comprehensive review relating to their course of study, teachers and facilities. So not only does accreditation help confirm that you will receive excellent training, but it can also assist in obtaining a student loan or financial assistance which are generally not accessible for non-accredited schools.
Age. Recently established schools generally have the benefit of having modern equipment and facilities. However, they may not have been operating long enough to acquire an accreditation or to develop a reputation. On the other hand, older schools may still be using their original, dated equipment, but have established a lengthy history of excellence and obtained one or more accreditations. Also, the longer a school has operated, the more graduates the school can solicit for its job assistance program. Obviously there is some give and take based on the age of the culinary schools. And older, more renowned schools commonly update their facilities and equipment. The valuable 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. To begin with, ask what the graduation rates are for the culinary arts colleges you are evaluating. Low graduation rates are indications that a number of students were dissatisfied with either the colleges or the training and quit before graduating. They may also suggest that the instructors were not qualified to teach the curriculum. Request that the schools provide their job placement rates also. If a school has a higher job placement rate, it will help verify that it has a good or exceptional reputation within the cooking community, in addition to a large network of professional contacts. Be wary of any school that will not furnish this information.
Location. The cooking college that you attend must be within driving distance of your Camden home, unless you have decided to move. You may think about attending college online, but you would still have to travel for your externship training. On the other hand, perhaps you have decided to attend a specific culinary institute located in another state because of its reputation and courses offered. It would be a good idea to check out the facility before enrolling, to make sure that you are comfortable with the location and your future living conditions. Check the training facilities in person to make sure they are up to date and that the equipment is state of the art. Consider also that some schools target their job assistance programs within their regional communities, so select a location where you will be happy working.
Class Sizes. The ideal method to learn how to cook is with a lot of personalized training. If the culinary arts school you enroll in has larger classes, you will probably receive limited personal attention from the instructors. The ideal way to evaluate the interaction and communication between instructors and students is to audit a few of the classes. Ask a couple of the students what their experience has been. Ascertain if they are satisfied with the level of attention they receive in class as well as the overall training. Also, talk with a few of the instructors and learn what their teaching approaches are as well as their histories and qualifications.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no sense in enrolling in a cooking institute if you will be unable to attend the classes. Therefore make certain 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 Camden NJ because of your work schedule, confirm that the school you decide on offers either weekend or night classes. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, check that the culinary arts school has a part-time option. Also, find out what the make-up policy is if you need to miss a class as a result of family, work or other commitments.
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