It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Culinary Arts Career Below!
Evaluating Culinary Arts Institutes
By now you should have made a decision regarding the type of degree that you wish to earn, and if you would like to enroll in a public or private school. Since there a large number of culinary schools in the Amherst area and across the United States, you will want to create a checklist of important qualifiers so that you can begin narrowing your choices. Certain obvious qualifiers, such as location and cost are a good place to start. But deciding on a school because it is the closest or the cheapest is not the best way to decide on your education. There are other considerations, for instance accreditation and reputation that you need to assess as well. Therefore, below are some key areas that you need to research for every school as you compare them and make your final choice.
Accreditation. It's imperative that the cooking school you select has some type of accreditation from either a regional or a national agency. As previously stated, the accrediting organization should be a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged agency, for example the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have passed a detailed evaluation 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 acquiring a student loan or financial assistance which are often not available for non-accredited schools.
Age. Recently established schools often have the advantage of having modern facilities and equipment. However, they may not have been in operation long enough to earn an accreditation or to cultivate a reputation. On the other hand, older schools may still be using their original, dated equipment, but have established a lengthy track record of success and acquired one or more accreditations. Also, the longer a school has been in operation, the more alumni the school can reach out to for its job placement program. Naturally there is some give and take based on the age of the culinary schools. And older, more reputable schools typically update their facilities and equipment. The important lesson is that in the best case scenario, your chosen school will have an excellent reputation, accreditation and a modern facility with newer equipment.
Job Placement Rates. To begin with, find out what the graduation rates are for the culinary schools you are assessing. Low graduation rates are red flags that numerous students were unhappy with either the institutes or the programs and dropped out. They might also signify that the teachers were not competent 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 validate that it has a great or excellent reputation within the cooking field, in addition to a large network of professional associations. Be skeptical of any school that will not supply this information.
Location. The cooking college that you enroll in must be within driving distance of your Amherst residence, unless you have decided to move. You may think about attending college online, but you would still have to travel for your externship training. On the other hand, perhaps you have opted to attend a specific culinary arts institute located in a different state due to its ranking and programs offered. It would be a wise decision to pay a visit to the campus before enrolling, to make sure that you are comfortable with the area and your prospective living conditions. Inspect the training facilities in person to make sure they are up to date and that the equipment is state of the art. Consider also that some schools focus their job placement programs within their regional communities, so select a location where you will be happy working.
Class Sizes. The ideal way to learn how to cook is with plenty of personalized training. If the culinary arts college you enroll in has bigger classes, you will most likely receive limited individual attention from the instructors. The ideal way to evaluate the interaction and communication between teachers and students is to attend a few of the classes. Ask a couple of the students what their experience has been. Find out if they are pleased with the amount of attention they receive in class in addition to the overall training. Also, talk with some of the instructors and learn what their teaching philosophies are along with their experiences and qualifications.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no point in enrolling in a culinary college if you will not be able to attend the classes. So make sure that the school you pick offers class scheduling that can work with your busy lifestyle. If you can only attend in the evening or on weekends near Amherst NY because of your work schedule, verify that the school you decide on offers either weekend or night classes. If you can only attend part-time, check that the culinary arts school has a part-time alternative. Also, find out what the make-up policy is if you need to miss a class due to work, family or other obligations.
Learn More About Culinary Colleges in Amherst