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Evaluating Cooking Schools
At this point you should have decided on the type of degree that you want to earn, and if you would like to enroll in a private or a public institution. Since there are numerous culinary schools in the Hackensack area and within the United States, you must create a checklist of important qualifications so that you can begin limiting your options. Certain obvious qualifications, for example location and cost are a good place to begin. But picking a school because it is the nearest or the cheapest is not the best way to make a decision regarding your education. There are other variables, such as accreditation and reputation that you must evaluate as well. Therefore, following are some crucial areas that you need to research for every school as you compare and contrast them and make your ultimate decision.
Accreditation. It's very important that the culinary arts institute you choose has some type of accreditation from either a local or a national authority. As mentioned previously, the accrediting organization should be a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged authority, for instance the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have passed a thorough review regarding their course of study, instructors and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help ascertain that you will receive excellent training, but it may also help in obtaining a student loan or financial aid which are often not offered for non-accredited schools.
Age. Newer schools generally have the advantage of possessing modern equipment and facilities. However, they may not have been in operation long enough to garner an accreditation or to cultivate a reputation. On the other hand, older schools may still be using their original, outdated equipment, but have established a lengthy track record of excellence and obtained one or more accreditations. Also, the longer a school has operated, the more alumni the school can reach out to for its job assistance program. Obviously there is some give and take dependent on the age of the culinary schools. And older, more reputable schools commonly modernize their facilities and equipment. The valuable takeaway is that in the best case scenario, your school of choice will have an outstanding reputation, accreditation and a state-of-the-art facility with newer equipment.
Job Placement Rates. Initially, find out what the graduation rates are for the culinary arts schools you are looking at. Low graduation rates are indicators that a number of students were unhappy with either the schools or the courses and dropped out. They may also indicate that the instructors were not competent to teach the curriculum. Request that the schools furnish their job placement rates also. If a college has a higher job placement rate, it will help affirm that it has a good or outstanding reputation within the culinary field, in addition to a large network of professional contacts. Be suspicious of any school that will not supply this information.
Location. The culinary college that you choose should be within driving distance of your Hackensack residence, unless you have decided to relocate. You may think about attending school online, but you would still have to travel for your externship training. On the other hand, perhaps you have opted to enroll in a specific culinary school located in a different state because of its reputation and programs offered. It would be a good idea to pay a visit to the facility before enrolling, to make certain that you are satisfied with the location and your prospective living conditions. Tour the training facilities personally to make sure they are modern and that the equipment is contemporary. Remember also that a number of schools concentrate their job placement programs within their regional communities, so pick a location where you will be happy working.
Class Sizes. The most effective way to learn how to cook is with a lot of personalized instruction. If the culinary arts school you enroll in has bigger classes, you will probably get little personal attention from the instructors. The best manner in which to assess the interaction 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. Find out if they are satisfied with the level of attention they receive in class as well as the overall training. Also, talk with some of the teachers and find out what their teaching approaches are together with their experiences and qualifications.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no sense in enrolling in a culinary program if you will not be able to attend the classes. So make sure that the school you decide on offers class scheduling that will fit in with your busy lifestyle. If you can only attend in the evening or on weekends near Hackensack NJ because of your job schedule, verify that the school you pick offers either night or weekend classes. If you can only attend part-time, check that the cooking school has a part-time alternative. Also, check to see what the make-up protocol is if you have to miss a class because of work, family or other commitments.
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