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Researching Culinary Arts Schools
By now you should have made a decision regarding the type of degree that you wish to earn, and whether or not you want to enroll in a private or a public school. Since there a large number of culinary colleges in the Brentwood area and within the United States, you need to develop a checklist of important qualifications so that you can start limiting your choices. A few obvious qualifiers, such as cost and location are a good place to start. But selecting a school because it is the nearest or the cheapest is not the optimal way to make a decision regarding your education. There are other factors, including accreditation and reputation that you must review also. Therefore, below are some crucial areas that you need to research for each school as you compare them and make your final selection.
Accreditation. It's imperative that the cooking college you select has some type of accreditation from either a local or a national agency. As previously mentioned, the accrediting authority should be a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged authority, for example the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have successfully completed a thorough evaluation relating to their course of study, instructors and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help ensure that you will receive excellent training, but it can also assist in securing a student loan or financial assistance which are generally not accessible for non-accredited schools.
Age. Recently established schools frequently have the advantage of possessing modern equipment and facilities. However, they may not have been operating long enough to earn an accreditation or to cultivate a reputation. Conversely, more established schools may still be using their original, outdated equipment, but have established a long history of excellence and earned one or more accreditations. Also, the much more a school has been in business, 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 cooking schools. And older, more reputable schools commonly update their equipment and facilities. The significant lesson 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. To begin with, find out what the graduation rates are for the cooking institutions you are looking at. Lower graduation rates are indicators that many students were unhappy with either the institutes or the courses and quit before graduating. They can also signify that the teachers were not qualified to teach the course of study. Request that the schools provide their job placement rates also. If a college has a higher job placement rate, it will help confirm that it has a great or excellent reputation within the culinary community, as well as a broad network of professional connections. Be skeptical of any school that will not supply this information.
Location. The cooking college that you choose should be within driving distance of your Brentwood home, unless you are willing to move. You may consider attending classes online, but you would still have to travel for your externship training. Alternatively, perhaps you have chosen to enroll in a particular culinary arts college located in a different state because of its reputation and programs offered. It would be a wise decision to check out the campus 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 up to date and that the equipment is contemporary. Consider also that a number of schools concentrate their job assistance programs within their regional communities, so pick a location where you will enjoy working.
Class Sizes. The ideal method to learn how to cook is with a lot of one-on-one instruction. If the culinary arts school you enroll in has bigger classes, you will probably receive minimal personal attention from the teachers. The ideal means to assess the interaction and communication between instructors and students is to attend several of the classes. Ask some of the students what their experience has been. Find out if they are satisfied with the level of attention they receive in class as well as the entire course of training. Also, talk with several of the teachers and learn what their teaching philosophies are together with their histories 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 sure that the school you pick offers class scheduling that will fit in with your busy lifestyle. If you can only attend in the evening or on weekends near Brentwood NY because of your work schedule, confirm that the school you select offers either night or weekend classes. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, verify that the cooking school has a part-time alternative. Also, find out what the make-up policy is if you must miss a class because of family, work or other responsibilities.
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