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Evaluating Culinary Arts Schools
At this point you should have decided on the type of degree that you plan to earn, and if you want to enroll in a public or private institution. Since there are numerous culinary arts colleges in the Cohoes area and within the Country, you must develop a checklist of important qualifiers so that you can begin limiting your options. Certain obvious qualifications, such as location and cost are a good place to start. But choosing a school because it is the nearest or the cheapest is not the ideal way to decide on your education. There are other variables, including accreditation and reputation that you need to evaluate also. Therefore, following are some crucial areas that you need to investigate for each school as you compare them and make your final selection.
Accreditation. It's very important that the culinary school you choose has some type of accreditation from either a regional or a national authority. As aforementioned, the accrediting authority should be a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged agency, such as the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have passed a comprehensive review pertaining to their curriculum, teachers and facilities. So not only does accreditation help ascertain that you will receive quality training, but it may also help in obtaining a student loan or financial assistance which are frequently not offered for non-accredited schools.
Age. Newer schools often have the benefit of possessing modern equipment and facilities. However, they may not have been open long enough to garner an accreditation or to develop a reputation. Conversely, more established schools may still be using their original, dated equipment, but have established a lengthy track record of success and received one or more accreditations. Also, the much more a school has been in operation, the more alumni the school can solicit for its job placement program. Certainly there is some give and take based on the age of the culinary schools. And older, more highly regarded schools usually modernize their equipment and facilities. The significant 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. To begin with, find out what the graduation rates are for the cooking schools you are reviewing. Lower graduation rates are indications that a number of students were dissatisfied with either the schools or the programs and dropped out. They might also indicate that the teachers were not competent to teach the course of study. Request that the schools provide their job placement rates also. If a college has a high job placement rate, it will help affirm that it has a great or outstanding reputation within the cooking field, in addition to a broad network of professional associations. Be suspicious of any school that will not supply this information.
Location. The culinary arts institute that you enroll in should be within driving distance of your Cohoes home, unless you can move. You may look into attending college online, but you would still have to travel for your externship program. Alternatively, maybe you have decided 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 pay a visit to the facility before enrolling, to make certain that you are comfortable with the location and your future living conditions. Look over the training facilities in person to make certain they are modern and that the equipment is contemporary. Consider also that a number of schools focus their job assistance programs within their regional communities, so choose a location where you will enjoy working.
Class Sizes. The most effective approach to learn how to cook is with lots of one-on-one training. If the cooking college you enroll in has larger classes, you will most likely receive little individual attention from the teachers. The best way to evaluate the interaction and communication between teachers and students is to attend some of the classes. Ask some of the students what their experience has been. Ascertain if they are satisfied with the level of attention they receive in class in addition to the entire course of training. Also, speak with some of the instructors and determine what their teaching styles are together with their backgrounds and credentials.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no point in enrolling in a cooking institute if you will not be able to attend the classes. So make certain that the school you pick offers class scheduling that will accommodate your hectic lifestyle. If you can only attend in the evening or on weekends near Cohoes NY due to your job schedule, verify that the school you decide on 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 need to miss a class due to work, family or other commitments.
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