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Contrasting Culinary Arts Programs
At this point you should have decided on the type of degree that you plan to attain, and whether or not you want to enroll in a public or private institution. Since there a large number of culinary schools in the Baldwin area and across the United States, you will want to create a checklist of essential qualifications so that you can start limiting your choices. Some obvious qualifications, including location and cost are an excellent place to begin. But choosing a school because it is the closest or the most affordable is not the optimal way to decide on your education. There are other factors, for instance accreditation and reputation that you need to assess as well. Therefore, following are some key areas that you will need to investigate for each school as you compare them and make your final decision.
Accreditation. It's essential that the culinary arts college you select has some type of accreditation from either a local or a national agency. As previously mentioned, the accrediting agency should be a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged agency, for instance the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have successfully completed a comprehensive review regarding their curriculum, teachers and facilities. So not only does accreditation help establish that you will receive quality training, but it may also help in acquiring a student loan or financial aid which are generally not offered for non-accredited schools.
Age. Newer schools generally have the benefit of having modern facilities and equipment. However, they may not have been in operation long enough to acquire an accreditation or to develop a reputation. Conversely, more established schools may still be using their original, dated equipment, but have established a lengthy history of excellence and obtained one or more accreditations. Also, the much more a school has operated, the more graduates the school can solicit for its job assistance program. Obviously there is some give and take dependent on the age of the cooking schools. And older, more highly regarded schools typically update their facilities and equipment. The important takeaway is that in the best case scenario, your chosen school will have an excellent reputation, accreditation and a state-of-the-art facility with modern equipment.
Job Placement Rates. First, ask what the graduation rates are for the culinary arts colleges you are assessing. Lower graduation rates are red flags that many students were dissatisfied with either the schools or the training and dropped out. They might also indicate that the instructors were not competent to teach the curriculum. Request that the schools supply their job placement rates also. If a school has a high job placement rate, it will help affirm that it has a great or outstanding reputation within the culinary field, as well as a large network of professional relationships. Be suspicious of any school that will not furnish this information.
Location. The culinary arts institute that you attend should be within commuting distance of your Baldwin home, unless you have decided to move. You may look into attending classes online, but you would still need to travel for your externship program. Alternatively, perhaps you have decided to enroll in a particular culinary institute located in another state because of its prominence and courses offered. It would be a good idea to pay a visit to the facility before enrolling, to make certain that you are comfortable with the area and your future living conditions. Check the training facilities in person 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 regional communities, so pick a location where you will enjoy working.
Class Sizes. The best way to learn how to cook is with lots of personalized training. If the culinary school you enroll in has bigger classes, you will undoubtedly receive minimal individual attention from the instructors. The ideal way to assess the communication and interaction between teachers and students is to sit in on a few of the classes. Ask some of the students what their experience has been. Find out if they are satisfied with the amount of attention they receive in class as well as the overall training. Also, talk with several of the instructors and learn what their teaching philosophies are as well as their histories and qualifications.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no benefit to in enrolling in a cooking school if you will be unable to attend the classes. So make certain that the school you select offers class scheduling that can fit in with your active lifestyle. If you can only attend in the evening or on weekends near Baldwin NY because of your job schedule, make sure that the school you pick offers either weekend or evening classes. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the culinary school has a part-time offering. Also, ask what the make-up policy is if you have to miss a class because of work, family or other commitments.
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