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Contrasting Cooking Schools
By now you should have made a decision regarding the type of degree that you plan to earn, and if you want to enroll in a public or private institute. Since there are numerous culinary colleges in the Summit area and within the USA, you will want to create a checklist of important qualifiers so that you can start limiting your options. A few obvious qualifications, such as cost and location are a good place to begin. But deciding on a school because it is the nearest or the cheapest is not the best way to decide on your education. There are other factors, for instance reputation and accreditation that you must evaluate as well. So following are some critical areas that you need to research for each school as you compare them and make your final decision.
Accreditation. It's imperative that the cooking school you select has some form of accreditation from either a local or a national agency. As previously mentioned, the accrediting agency 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 assessment pertaining to their course of study, instructors and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help confirm that you will receive quality training, but it can also assist in obtaining a student loan or financial assistance which are often not accessible for non-accredited schools.
Age. Newer schools generally have the advantage of possessing modern equipment and facilities. However, they may not have been in operation long enough to acquire an accreditation or to establish a reputation. On the other hand, more established schools may still be using their original, dated equipment, but have established a lengthy history of success and obtained 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 assistance program. Obviously there is some give and take based on the age of the culinary schools. And older, more highly regarded schools usually update 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, ask what the graduation rates are for the cooking programs you are looking at. Lower graduation rates are red flags that a number of students were dissatisfied with either the schools or the courses and dropped out. They might also signify that the teachers were not qualified to teach the course of study. Request that the schools supply their job placement rates as well. If a school has a higher job placement rate, it will help confirm that it has a good or excellent reputation within the culinary arts community, as well as a broad network of professional relationships. Be wary of any school that will not furnish this information.
Location. The cooking school that you choose should be within driving distance of your Summit home, unless you are able to relocate. You may consider attending college online, but you would still have to travel for your externship program. Alternatively, perhaps you have chosen to enroll in a particular culinary arts school located in a different state due to its reputation and courses offered. It would be a wise decision to check out the facility before enrolling, to make sure that you are satisfied with the area and your future living conditions. Look over the training facilities personally to make sure they are modern and that the equipment is state of the art. Remember also that some schools target their job placement programs within their regional communities, so pick a location where you will be happy working.
Class Sizes. The ideal way to learn how to cook is with lots of personalized training. If the culinary school you enroll in has bigger classes, you will most likely get limited personal attention from the instructors. The ideal manner in which to evaluate the communication and interaction between faculty and students is to sit in on some of the classes. Ask a couple of the students what their experience has been. Ascertain if they are happy with the amount of attention they receive in class in addition to the overall training. Also, speak with some of the teachers and learn what their teaching approaches are along with their histories and qualifications.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no point in enrolling in a culinary institute if you will be unable to attend the classes. Therefore make certain that the school you pick provides class scheduling that can accommodate your active lifestyle. If you can only attend in the evening or on weekends near Summit NJ due to your work schedule, verify that the school you decide on offers either weekend or evening classes. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the culinary school 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 obligations.
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