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Comparing Culinary Institutes
At this point you should have made a decision regarding the type of degree that you want to earn, and if you want to enroll in a public or private college. Since there are numerous culinary arts programs in the New Brunswick area and across the United States, you need to create a checklist of important qualifications so that you can begin narrowing down your options. Certain obvious qualifications, including cost and location are a good place to begin. But picking a school because it is the closest or the cheapest is not the ideal way to make a decision regarding your education. There are other variables, for instance accreditation and reputation that you need to assess as well. Therefore, following are some critical areas that you will need to investigate for each school as you compare them and make your final decision.
Accreditation. It's imperative that the culinary arts school you choose has some type of accreditation from either a regional or a national organization. As previously mentioned, the accrediting agency should be a U.S. Department of Education recognized authority, for example the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have passed a comprehensive evaluation relating to their curriculum, teachers and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help establish that you will receive excellent training, but it can also assist in acquiring a student loan or financial assistance which are generally not available for non-accredited schools.
Age. Recently established schools frequently have the advantage of having modern facilities and equipment. However, they may not have been open long enough to acquire an accreditation or to establish a reputation. On the other hand, more established schools may still be using their original, outdated equipment, but have established a long track record of success and received one or more accreditations. Also, the much more a school has been in operation, the more alumni the school can reach out to for its job placement program. Certainly there is some give and take based on the age of the cooking schools. And older, more highly regarded schools commonly modernize their facilities and equipment. The valuable takeaway 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, find out what the graduation rates are for the culinary arts schools you are looking at. Lower graduation rates are signs that numerous students were unhappy with either the schools or the training and dropped out. They can also signify that the teachers were not qualified to teach the curriculum. Request that the schools supply their job placement rates also. If a school has a high job placement rate, it will help confirm that it has a good or exceptional reputation within the culinary arts field, as well as a broad network of professional associations. Watch out for any school that will not supply this information.
Location. The culinary arts college that you enroll in should be within driving distance of your New Brunswick home, unless you are willing to relocate. You may consider attending classes online, but you would still need to travel for your externship training. On the other hand, perhaps you have decided to attend a particular culinary arts institute located in a different state because of its reputation and programs offered. It would be a good idea to pay a visit to the campus before enrolling, to make certain that you are comfortable with the area and your prospective living conditions. Look over the training facilities personally to make sure they are modern and that the equipment is contemporary. Consider also that many schools target their job assistance programs within their local communities, so choose a location where you will enjoy working.
Class Sizes. The ideal method to learn how to cook is with lots of one-on-one instruction. If the culinary arts institute you enroll in has larger classes, you will probably get limited individual attention from the teachers. The optimal manner in which to evaluate the communication and interaction between instructors and students is to audit some of the classes. Ask a couple of the students what their experience has been. Find out if they are happy with the amount of attention they get in class in addition to the entire course of training. Also, talk with a few of the teachers and determine what their teaching styles are together with their experiences and qualifications.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no benefit to in enrolling in a culinary institute if you will be unable to attend the classes. Therefore confirm that the school you choose provides class scheduling that will accommodate your busy lifestyle. If you can only attend in the evening or on Saturdays or Sundays near New Brunswick NJ due to your work schedule, make certain that the school you select offers either weekend or night classes. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, confirm that the culinary arts program has a part-time alternative. Also, ask what the make-up protocol is if you need to miss a class due to work, family or other commitments.
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