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Researching Culinary Colleges
By now you should have decided on the type of degree that you plan to earn, and whether or not you want to enroll in a private or a public college. Since there are numerous cooking institutions in the Mount Laurel area and within the Country, you will want to create a checklist of important qualifiers so that you can start narrowing your options. Some obvious qualifiers, including location and cost are a good place to begin. But selecting a school because it is the nearest or the cheapest is not the optimal way to make a decision regarding your education. There are other variables, including reputation and accreditation that you must evaluate also. So following are some critical areas that you need to investigate for each school as you compare them and make your ultimate choice.
Accreditation. It's essential that the cooking school you decide on has some form of accreditation from either a regional or a national agency. As mentioned previously, the accrediting authority should be a U.S. Department of Education certified authority, such as the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have successfully completed a comprehensive review regarding their course of study, instructors and facilities. So not only does accreditation help confirm that you will receive quality training, but it can also assist in obtaining a student loan or financial aid which are generally not offered for non-accredited schools.
Age. Newer schools often have the benefit of having modern equipment and facilities. However, they may not have been open long enough to earn an accreditation or to cultivate 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 much more a school has operated, the more alumni the school can solicit for its job placement program. Obviously there is some give and take dependent on the age of the culinary arts schools. And older, more reputable schools usually modernize their facilities and equipment. The important lesson is that in the best case scenario, your chosen school will have an excellent reputation, accreditation and a state-of-the-art facility with newer equipment.
Job Placement Rates. First off, find out what the graduation rates are for the culinary programs you are evaluating. Low graduation rates are indicators that a number of students were unhappy with either the colleges or the programs and dropped out. They may also suggest that the teachers were not qualified to teach the course of study. Request that the schools supply their job placement rates also. If a college has a high job placement rate, it will help verify that it has a great or exceptional reputation within the cooking field, as well as a broad network of professional associations. Be skeptical of any school that will not supply this information.
Location. The culinary college that you choose should be within driving distance of your Mount Laurel residence, unless you can move. You may consider attending college online, but you would still have to travel for your externship training. On the other hand, maybe you have decided to attend a particular culinary school located in another state because of its ranking and programs offered. It would be a wise decision to pay a visit to the campus before enrolling, to make certain that you are satisfied with the area and your prospective living conditions. Inspect the training facilities in person to make certain they are up to date and that the equipment is contemporary. Consider also that a number of schools target their job placement programs within their local communities, so select a location where you will enjoy working.
Class Sizes. The best approach to learn how to cook is with lots of one-on-one training. If the culinary college you enroll in has large classes, you will undoubtedly receive minimal personal attention from the teachers. The best means to assess the interaction between instructors and students is to audit some of the classes. Ask a couple of the students what their experience has been. Ascertain if they are pleased with the level of attention they receive in class as well as the entire course of training. Also, speak with a few of the instructors and learn what their teaching approaches are along with their histories and credentials.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no benefit to in enrolling in a culinary arts college if you will not be able to attend the classes. Therefore make sure that the school you decide on offers class scheduling that will work with your active lifestyle. If you can only attend at night or on Saturdays or Sundays near Mount Laurel NJ because of your job schedule, make sure that the school you decide on offers either weekend or night classes. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the culinary institute has a part-time option. Also, find out what the make-up policy is if you need to miss a class due to family, work or other commitments.
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