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Researching Cooking Schools

At this point you should have made a decision regarding the type of degree that you want to attain, and whether or not you want to enroll in a private or a public college. Since there are numerous culinary arts colleges in the Trenton area and across the USA, you need to develop a checklist of important qualifications so that you can begin narrowing your choices. A few obvious qualifications, for example location and cost are an excellent place to start. But deciding on a school because it is the nearest or the cheapest is not the optimal way to decide on your education. There are other factors, such as accreditation and reputation that you need to assess as well. So following are some crucial areas that you need to research for each school as you compare and contrast them and make your ultimate decision.

Accreditation.  It's essential that the cooking college you choose has some form of accreditation from either a local or a national organization. As mentioned previously, the accrediting authority should be a U.S. Department of Education recognized agency, such as the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have passed a detailed review regarding their course of study, instructors and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help establish that you will receive excellent training, but it may also help in securing a student loan or financial assistance which are often not available for non-accredited schools.

Age.  Newer schools often 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. Conversely, more established schools may still be using their original, outdated equipment, but have established a long track record of success and earned one or more accreditations. Also, the longer a school has been in operation, the more alumni the school can solicit for its job assistance program. Obviously there is some give and take dependent on the age of the culinary schools. And older, more reputable schools commonly update their equipment and facilities. The important takeaway is that in the best case scenario, your school of choice will have an exceptional reputation, accreditation and a modern facility with newer equipment.

Job Placement Rates.  Initially, find out what the graduation rates are for the cooking colleges you are examining. Low graduation rates are indicators that a number of students were dissatisfied with either the institutes or the programs and quit before graduating. They can also indicate that the teachers were not competent to teach the curriculum. Ask the schools to supply their job placement rates also. If a school has a higher job placement rate, it will help verify that it has a great or exceptional reputation within the cooking field, in addition to a broad network of professional relationships. Be wary of any school that will not supply this information.

Location.  The cooking institute that you attend should be within commuting distance of your Trenton residence, unless you can move. You may consider attending school online, but you would still need to travel for your externship program. Alternatively, maybe you have decided to enroll in a particular culinary school located in another state due to its ranking and programs offered. It would be a good idea to pay a visit to the campus before enrolling, to make certain that you are satisfied with the location and your potential living conditions. Inspect the training facilities in person to make sure they are modern and that the equipment is contemporary. Keep in mind also that a number of schools focus their job assistance programs within their regional communities, so choose a location where you will enjoy working.

Class Sizes.  The most effective way to learn how to cook is with a lot of one-on-one instruction. If the culinary arts school you enroll in has larger classes, you will undoubtedly receive little individual attention from the teachers. The ideal way to assess the communication and interaction between teachers 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 happy with the amount of attention they get in class as well as the entire course of training. Also, talk with some of the instructors and find out what their teaching approaches are together with their backgrounds and credentials.

Flexible Class Schedules.  There is no point in enrolling in a culinary program if you will not be able to attend the classes. So make certain that the school you choose has available class scheduling that will accommodate your hectic lifestyle. If you can only attend at night or on weekends near Trenton NJ because of your work schedule, make certain that the school you pick offers either weekend or night classes. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the culinary institute has a part-time alternative. Also, check to see what the make-up policy is if you need to miss a class due to family, work or other obligations.

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