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Researching Culinary Arts Schools
At this point you should have made a decision regarding the type of degree that you wish to attain, and whether or not you want to enroll in a private or a public school. Since there are numerous culinary arts programs in the Amsterdam area and across the USA, you will want to create a checklist of essential qualifications so that you can begin narrowing down your options. Some obvious qualifications, such as location and cost are a good place to start. But deciding on a school because it is the nearest or the cheapest is not the best way to make a decision regarding your education. There are other criteria, for instance accreditation and reputation that you need to review also. Therefore, following are some crucial areas that you need to research for every school as you compare and contrast them and make your final selection.
Accreditation. It's essential that the culinary institute you decide on has some form of accreditation from either a local or a national agency. As previously stated, the accrediting organization should be a U.S. Department of Education certified agency, for instance the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have successfully completed a detailed review regarding their course of study, instructors and facilities. So not only does accreditation help establish that you will receive excellent training, but it can also help in acquiring a student loan or financial assistance which are often not available for non-accredited schools.
Age. Recently established schools frequently have the benefit of possessing modern equipment and facilities. However, they may not have been operating long enough to acquire an accreditation or to cultivate a reputation. On the other hand, older schools may still be using their original, outdated equipment, but have established a sustained history of excellence and obtained one or more accreditations. Also, the longer a school has been in operation, the more graduates the school can solicit for its job assistance program. Certainly there is some give and take dependent on the age of the cooking schools. And older, more renowned schools typically modernize their facilities and equipment. 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. First, ask what the graduation rates are for the culinary programs you are reviewing. Low graduation rates are indicators that numerous students were unhappy with either the institutes or the programs and quit before graduating. They might also indicate that the instructors were not competent to teach the course of study. Request that the schools provide their job placement rates also. If a school has a high job placement rate, it will help affirm that it has a good or excellent reputation within the culinary community, as well as a wide network of professional contacts. Watch out for any school that will not furnish this information.
Location. The culinary college that you choose should be within commuting distance of your Amsterdam residence, unless you are willing to relocate. You may think about attending classes online, but you would still have to travel for your externship program. Alternatively, perhaps you have opted to enroll in a specific culinary college located in another state because of its prominence and courses offered. It would be a good idea to check out the campus before enrolling, to make sure that you are satisfied with the area and your potential living conditions. Tour the training facilities personally to make sure they are modern and that the equipment is state of the art. Keep in mind also that a number of schools focus their job placement programs within their local communities, so pick a location where you will satisfied working.
Class Sizes. The ideal way to learn how to cook is with plenty of personalized instruction. If the cooking college you enroll in has large classes, you will undoubtedly get limited personal attention from the instructors. The optimal manner in which to assess the interaction and communication between teachers and students is to attend a few of the classes. Ask some 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 instructors and determine what their teaching philosophies are as well as their backgrounds and credentials.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no benefit to in enrolling in a cooking institute if you will not be able to attend the classes. So make sure that the school you decide on has available class scheduling that will accommodate your hectic lifestyle. If you can only attend at night or on Saturdays or Sundays near Amsterdam NY due to your work schedule, check that the school you choose offers either weekend or night classes. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the cooking program has a part-time offering. Also, find out what the make-up protocol is if you must miss a class because of family, work or other commitments.
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