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Contrasting Culinary Schools

By now you should have decided on the type of degree that you plan to attain, and if you would like to enroll in a public or private institution. Since there a large number of culinary arts institutions in the Westfield area and across the United States, you must develop a checklist of essential qualifications so that you can start narrowing your options. Certain obvious qualifiers, for example location and cost are an excellent place to start. But selecting a school because it is the nearest or the most affordable 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 review also. Therefore, following are some critical areas that you must research for each school as you compare and contrast them and make your ultimate decision.

Accreditation.  It's very important that the culinary arts college you decide on has some form of accreditation from either a local or a national authority. As aforementioned, the accrediting organization should be a U.S. Department of Education recognized organization, for example the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have passed a detailed evaluation relating to their course of study, teachers and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help ascertain that you will receive quality training, but it may also help in acquiring a student loan or financial aid which are often not accessible for non-accredited schools.

Age.  Newer schools generally have the benefit of possessing 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, dated equipment, but have established a sustained track record of excellence and acquired one or more accreditations. Also, the much more a school has been in business, the more graduates the school can solicit for its job placement program. Naturally there is some give and take based on the age of the culinary arts schools. And older, more highly regarded schools usually modernize their facilities and equipment. The valuable lesson is that in the best case scenario, your selected school will have an excellent reputation, accreditation and a state-of-the-art facility with newer equipment.

Job Placement Rates.  To begin with, find out what the graduation rates are for the cooking institutes you are examining. Low graduation rates are signs that many students were dissatisfied with either the institutes or the training and dropped out. They can also indicate that the instructors were not competent to teach the curriculum. Ask the schools to supply their job placement rates also. If a college has a high job placement rate, it will help validate that it has a good or exceptional reputation within the cooking field, in addition to a large network of professional connections. Be wary of any school that will not supply this information.

Location.  The culinary school that you attend should be within driving distance of your Westfield residence, unless you are able to relocate. You may consider attending classes online, but you would still have to travel for your externship training. Conversely, perhaps you have chosen to enroll in a particular culinary arts institute located in a different state because of its reputation and courses offered. It would be a good idea to check out the campus before enrolling, to make sure that you are comfortable with the location and your future living conditions. Inspect the training facilities personally to make certain they are up to date and that the equipment is contemporary. Consider also that many schools target their job placement programs within their regional communities, so pick a location where you will satisfied working.

Class Sizes.  The best method to learn how to cook is with a lot of one-on-one instruction. If the culinary college you enroll in has large classes, you will most likely receive limited individual attention from the instructors. The ideal way to evaluate the interaction and communication between faculty and students is to audit a few of the classes. Ask some of the students what their experience has been. Ascertain if they are happy with the level of attention they receive in class as well as the entire course of training. Also, talk with several of the instructors and find out what their teaching philosophies are as well as their histories and credentials.

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 provides class scheduling that can work with your active lifestyle. If you can only attend at night or on Saturdays or Sundays near Westfield NJ due to your work schedule, check that the school you pick offers either night or weekend classes. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, confirm that the culinary arts program has a part-time alternative. Also, check to see what the make-up policy is if you must miss a class due to family, work or other obligations.

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