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Researching Culinary Institutions
By now you should have made a decision regarding the type of degree that you plan to earn, and whether or not you would like to enroll in a private or a public school. Since there a large number of culinary programs in the Roxbury area and across the Country, you will want to create a checklist of essential qualifications so that you can begin narrowing down your options. Some obvious qualifiers, for example cost and location are a good place to begin. But deciding on 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 considerations, for instance reputation and accreditation that you need to assess also. Therefore, below are some key areas that you must investigate for each school as you compare them and make your final choice.
Accreditation. It's very important that the cooking school you decide on has some type of accreditation from either a local or a national agency. As previously mentioned, the accrediting authority should be a U.S. Department of Education recognized agency, for instance the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have successfully completed a detailed review regarding their course of study, teachers and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help confirm that you will receive exceptional training, but it can also help in obtaining a student loan or financial aid which are frequently not accessible for non-accredited schools.
Age. Recently established schools often have the advantage of having modern facilities and equipment. However, they may not have been operating long enough to acquire an accreditation or to develop a reputation. On the other hand, older schools may still be using their original, dated equipment, but have established a sustained history of success and obtained one or more accreditations. Also, the longer a school has operated, the more graduates the school can solicit for its job assistance program. Obviously there is some give and take based on the age of the culinary arts schools. And older, more highly regarded schools commonly update 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 modern facility with modern equipment.
Job Placement Rates. First, find out what the graduation rates are for the culinary institutions you are examining. Lower graduation rates are indicators that numerous students were dissatisfied with either the institutes or the programs and dropped out. They might also indicate that the teachers were not qualified to teach the course of study. Ask the schools to furnish their job placement rates as well. If a college has a higher job placement rate, it will help confirm that it has a good or excellent reputation within the culinary field, in addition to a large network of professional connections. Be skeptical of any school that will not supply this information.
Location. The cooking institute that you attend should be within driving distance of your Roxbury home, unless you are willing to relocate. You may think about attending classes online, but you would still need to travel for your externship program. Alternatively, maybe you have decided to attend a particular culinary arts college located in another state due to its reputation and courses offered. It would be a good idea to check out the facility before enrolling, to make certain that you are comfortable with the area and your future living conditions. Inspect the training facilities personally to make certain they are modern and that the equipment is state of the art. Consider also that many schools target 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 one-on-one instruction. If the culinary program you enroll in has large classes, you will probably receive little personal attention from the teachers. The best means to assess the interaction between teachers and students is to audit some of the classes. Ask a couple 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 overall training. Also, talk with some of the teachers and determine what their teaching approaches are along with their backgrounds and qualifications.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no sense in enrolling in a culinary school if you will be unable to attend the classes. Therefore make certain that the school you choose has available class scheduling that will accommodate your hectic lifestyle. If you can only attend in the evening or on Saturdays or Sundays near Roxbury NJ because of your work schedule, make certain that the school you choose offers either weekend or night classes. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the cooking college has a part-time option. Also, ask what the make-up protocol is if you have to miss a class as a result of work, family or other responsibilities.
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