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Evaluating Culinary Institutions
At this point you should have decided on the type of degree that you plan to earn, and if you would like to enroll in a public or private institution. Since there are numerous cooking institutions in the Passaic area and across the Country, you will want to create a checklist of essential qualifiers so that you can begin narrowing your options. Certain obvious qualifiers, for example cost and location are a good place to begin. But choosing a school because it is the nearest or the most affordable is not the ideal way to decide on your education. There are other considerations, for instance reputation and accreditation that you should evaluate as well. So following are some crucial areas that you will need to research for every school as you compare and contrast them and make your ultimate selection.
Accreditation. It's essential that the culinary arts program you pick has some type of accreditation from either a regional or a national authority. As previously mentioned, 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 thorough evaluation regarding their course of study, instructors and facilities. So not only does accreditation help confirm that you will receive excellent training, but it may also assist in acquiring a student loan or financial assistance 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 operating long enough to earn an accreditation or to cultivate a reputation. Conversely, more established schools may still be using their original, outdated equipment, but have established a lengthy track record of success and earned one or more accreditations. Also, the much more a school has operated, the more graduates the school can solicit for its job assistance program. Certainly there is some give and take based on the age of the cooking schools. And older, more reputable schools usually modernize their equipment and facilities. The important takeaway is that in the best case scenario, your selected school will have an outstanding reputation, accreditation and a modern facility with newer equipment.
Job Placement Rates. Initially, find out what the graduation rates are for the culinary institutions you are looking at. Low graduation rates are indicators that numerous students were dissatisfied with either the schools or the programs and dropped out. They can also signify that the teachers were not qualified to teach the course of study. Request that the schools provide their job placement rates as well. If a school has a high job placement rate, it will help verify that it has a good or exceptional reputation within the cooking community, as well as a broad network of professional relationships. Be skeptical of any school that will not furnish this information.
Location. The cooking institute that you enroll in should be within commuting distance of your Passaic home, unless you are willing to relocate. You may consider attending school online, but you would still need to travel for your externship training. On the other hand, maybe you have decided to go to a specific culinary arts college located in another state due to its ranking and courses offered. It would be a wise decision to visit the facility before enrolling, to make sure that you are satisfied with the location and your future living conditions. Inspect the training facilities in person to make sure they are up to date and that the equipment is contemporary. Consider also that many schools concentrate their job placement programs within their regional communities, so choose a location where you will satisfied working.
Class Sizes. The best way to learn how to cook is with lots of personalized instruction. If the culinary arts institute you enroll in has large classes, you will probably get minimal individual attention from the teachers. The best manner in which to assess the interaction between instructors and students is to audit several of the classes. Ask some of the students what their experience has been. Ascertain if they are satisfied with the amount of attention they get in class as well as the entire course of training. Also, talk with a few of the teachers and find out what their teaching approaches are together with their backgrounds and qualifications.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no sense in enrolling in a cooking institute if you will not be able to attend the classes. So make certain that the school you select offers class scheduling that will fit in with your hectic lifestyle. If you can only attend in the evening or on Saturdays or Sundays near Passaic NJ because of your job schedule, make sure that the school you pick offers either weekend or evening classes. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the cooking school has a part-time offering. Also, find out what the make-up policy is if you need to miss a class due to family, work or other responsibilities.
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