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Comparing Cooking Schools
By now you should have decided on the type of degree that you want to earn, and whether or not you would like to enroll in a public or private institute. Since there are numerous culinary arts colleges in the Lawrence area and within the Country, you need to create a checklist of important qualifiers so that you can start narrowing down your choices. Some obvious qualifications, for instance cost and location are a good place to begin. But deciding on a school because it is the nearest or the cheapest is not the ideal way to decide on your education. There are other factors, such as accreditation and reputation that you should assess as well. Therefore, following are some critical areas that you will need to research for every school as you compare and contrast them and make your ultimate choice.
Accreditation. It's very important that the culinary arts college you choose has some form of accreditation from either a local or a national agency. As previously stated, the accrediting organization should be a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged authority, for example the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have successfully completed a comprehensive assessment pertaining to their curriculum, instructors and facilities. So not only does accreditation help confirm that you will receive exceptional training, but it may also help in securing a student loan or financial aid which are frequently not accessible for non-accredited schools.
Age. Recently established schools frequently have the advantage of having modern facilities and equipment. However, they may not have been in operation long enough to earn an accreditation or to establish a reputation. Conversely, more established schools may still be using their original, dated equipment, but have established a lengthy track record of success and acquired one or more accreditations. Also, the longer a school has been in business, the more alumni the school can reach out to for its job placement program. Naturally there is some give and take dependent on the age of the culinary arts schools. And older, more highly regarded schools usually update their facilities and equipment. The significant lesson is that in the best case scenario, your school of choice will have an excellent reputation, accreditation and a modern facility with modern equipment.
Job Placement Rates. Initially, ask what the graduation rates are for the culinary institutions you are examining. Lower graduation rates are signs that a number of students were unhappy with either the schools or the courses and quit before graduating. They can also suggest that the instructors were not competent to teach the curriculum. Request that the schools 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 field, as well as a large network of professional relationships. Be suspicious of any school that will not supply this information.
Location. The culinary arts institute that you enroll in should be within driving distance of your Lawrence home, unless you have decided to move. You may think about attending school online, but you would still have to travel for your externship program. Alternatively, perhaps you have opted to go to a specific culinary school located in another state due to its reputation 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 prospective living conditions. Look over the training facilities in person to make sure they are modern and that the equipment is state of the art. Remember also that some schools concentrate their job assistance programs within their local communities, so select a location where you will enjoy working.
Class Sizes. The most effective method to learn how to cook is with lots of personalized training. If the culinary institute you enroll in has large classes, you will most likely get minimal personal attention from the instructors. The optimal manner in which to evaluate the interaction between faculty and students is to attend some of the classes. Ask a couple of the students what their experience has been. Find out if they are pleased with the level of attention they receive in class in addition to the entire course of training. Also, speak with several of the instructors and learn what their teaching styles are along with their experiences and qualifications.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no sense in enrolling in a culinary arts program if you will not be able to attend the classes. So make sure that the school you choose has available class scheduling that will fit in with your hectic lifestyle. If you can only attend at night or on weekends near Lawrence NJ because of your job schedule, check that the school you pick offers either night or weekend classes. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the culinary institute has a part-time alternative. Also, ask what the make-up policy is if you need to miss a class because of work, family or other responsibilities.
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