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Comparing Culinary Programs
At this point you should have made a decision regarding the type of degree that you wish to attain, and whether or not you would like to enroll in a private or a public school. Since there are numerous cooking institutions in the Clay area and within the United States, you will want to create a checklist of important qualifiers so that you can begin narrowing down your options. Certain obvious qualifications, including cost and location are an excellent place to begin. But choosing a school because it is the nearest or the least expensive is not the optimal way to make a decision regarding your education. There are other factors, including accreditation and reputation that you must assess also. So following are some crucial areas that you should investigate for each school as you compare them and make your final decision.
Accreditation. It's imperative that the culinary college you choose has some form of accreditation from either a regional or a national authority. As previously mentioned, the accrediting authority should be a U.S. Department of Education recognized organization, for example the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have successfully completed a thorough evaluation pertaining to their course of study, teachers and facilities. So not only does accreditation help ascertain that you will receive excellent training, but it can also assist in securing a student loan or financial assistance which are often not offered for non-accredited schools.
Age. Recently established schools frequently have the benefit of possessing modern facilities and equipment. However, they may not have been operating long enough to acquire an accreditation or to establish 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 obtained 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. Obviously there is some give and take dependent on the age of the cooking schools. And older, more highly regarded schools commonly update their facilities and equipment. The important 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. First, find out what the graduation rates are for the culinary arts institutions you are evaluating. Lower graduation rates are signs that numerous students were dissatisfied with either the schools or the programs and dropped out. They may 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 school has a high job placement rate, it will help confirm that it has a great or excellent reputation within the cooking community, as well as a wide network of professional connections. Be wary of any school that will not provide this information.
Location. The cooking college that you enroll in must be within driving distance of your Clay home, unless you can move. You may consider attending classes online, but you would still have to travel for your externship program. Conversely, perhaps you have opted to go to a particular culinary arts college located in another state because of its reputation and programs offered. It would be a good idea to pay a visit to the campus before enrolling, to make certain that you are comfortable with the area 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 some schools concentrate their job assistance programs within their regional communities, so pick a location where you will satisfied working.
Class Sizes. The best approach to learn how to cook is with a lot of one-on-one instruction. If the cooking college you enroll in has larger classes, you will undoubtedly get minimal individual attention from the teachers. The ideal way to assess the interaction and communication between faculty and students is to audit several of the classes. Ask a couple of the students what their experience has been. Ascertain if they are happy with the amount of attention they get in class in addition to the overall training. Also, speak with a few of the instructors and find out what their teaching approaches are along with their experiences and credentials.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no point in enrolling in a culinary school if you will not be able to attend the classes. Therefore make certain that the school you pick offers class scheduling that will accommodate your active lifestyle. If you can only attend in the evening or on Saturdays or Sundays near Clay NY because of your job schedule, make certain that the school you pick offers either night or weekend classes. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the cooking school has a part-time alternative. Also, find out what the make-up policy is if you need to miss a class because of family, work or other responsibilities.
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