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Evaluating Cooking Schools
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 public or private college. Since there a large number of culinary institutions in the Secaucus area and within the Country, you need to create a checklist of essential qualifications so that you can begin limiting your choices. Some obvious qualifiers, such as location and cost are a good place to begin. But deciding on a school because it is the closest or the most affordable is not the best way to decide on your education. There are other factors, including accreditation and reputation that you should assess as well. So below are some key areas that you should investigate for every school as you compare them and make your final choice.
Accreditation. It's very important that the cooking school you select has some type of accreditation from either a local or a national agency. As aforementioned, the accrediting agency should be a U.S. Department of Education certified organization, for instance the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have passed a thorough assessment regarding their course of study, teachers and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help ascertain that you will receive excellent training, but it may also assist in obtaining a student loan or financial assistance which are often not accessible for non-accredited schools.
Age. Recently established schools frequently have the benefit of having modern equipment and facilities. However, they may not have been open long enough to earn an accreditation or to develop a reputation. On the other hand, older schools may still be using their original, outdated equipment, but have established a sustained track record of success and received one or more accreditations. Also, the longer a school has been in business, the more graduates the school can reach out to for its job placement program. Obviously there is some give and take based on the age of the cooking schools. And older, more renowned schools usually modernize their equipment and facilities. The valuable takeaway is that in the best case scenario, your school of choice will have an exceptional reputation, accreditation and a modern facility with modern equipment.
Job Placement Rates. Initially, find out what the graduation rates are for the cooking institutions you are assessing. Low graduation rates are signs that numerous students were dissatisfied with either the institutes or the courses and dropped out. They can also indicate that the instructors were not competent to teach the course of study. Ask the schools to provide their job placement rates also. If a college has a higher job placement rate, it will help confirm that it has a great or excellent reputation within the culinary field, in addition to a broad network of professional connections. Be wary of any school that will not furnish this information.
Location. The culinary college that you enroll in should be within driving distance of your Secaucus residence, unless you are willing to move. You may look into attending college online, but you would still need to travel for your externship training. On the other hand, perhaps you have decided to enroll in a specific culinary arts institute located in a different state because of its reputation and programs offered. It would be a good idea to check out the facility before enrolling, to make sure that you are comfortable with the area and your potential living conditions. Inspect the training facilities in person to make certain they are up to date and that the equipment is state of the art. Keep in mind also that some schools concentrate their job placement programs within their local communities, so pick a location where you will satisfied working.
Class Sizes. The best way to learn how to cook is with plenty of one-on-one training. If the culinary arts college you enroll in has large classes, you will most likely get little personal attention from the instructors. The ideal means to evaluate the interaction between instructors and students is to sit in on a few 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 get in class in addition to the overall training. Also, speak with a few of the instructors and learn what their teaching approaches are along with their backgrounds and qualifications.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no benefit to in enrolling in a culinary college if you will not be able to attend the classes. So confirm that the school you select offers class scheduling that can fit in with your hectic lifestyle. If you can only attend at night or on Saturdays or Sundays near Secaucus NJ because of your job schedule, make sure that the school you select offers either weekend or evening classes. If you can only attend part-time, check that the culinary arts program has a part-time offering. Also, check to see what the make-up protocol is if you must miss a class due to work, family or other responsibilities.
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