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Contrasting Culinary Arts Schools
By now you should have made a decision regarding the type of degree that you plan to attain, and if you would like to enroll in a public or private college. Since there a large number of culinary programs in the College Point area and within the Country, you will want to develop a checklist of essential qualifiers so that you can start narrowing your choices. Certain obvious qualifications, for example cost and location are a good place to begin. But selecting a school because it is the closest or the least expensive is not the optimal way to decide on your education. There are other considerations, such as accreditation and reputation that you need to review as well. So following are some crucial areas that you must investigate for each school as you compare and contrast them and make your ultimate selection.
Accreditation. It's important that the culinary arts college you pick has some type of accreditation from either a regional or a national organization. As mentioned previously, the accrediting organization should be a U.S. Department of Education recognized authority, such as the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have passed a detailed evaluation regarding their course of study, instructors and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help ascertain that you will receive exceptional training, but it may also assist in acquiring a student loan or financial aid which are generally not offered for non-accredited schools.
Age. Recently established schools often have the advantage of having modern equipment and facilities. However, they may not have been in operation long enough to garner an accreditation or to develop a reputation. On the other hand, more established schools may still be using their original, outdated equipment, but have established a sustained history of success and acquired one or more accreditations. Also, the much more a school has been in business, 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 culinary arts schools. And older, more renowned schools commonly modernize their facilities and equipment. The valuable takeaway is that in the best case scenario, your school of choice will have an outstanding reputation, accreditation and a modern facility with newer equipment.
Job Placement Rates. First, ask what the graduation rates are for the cooking schools you are examining. Lower graduation rates are indicators that a number of students were dissatisfied with either the schools or the training and quit before graduating. They may also indicate that the teachers 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 verify that it has a great or outstanding reputation within the culinary arts field, in addition to a large network of professional relationships. Watch out for any school that will not provide this information.
Location. The culinary arts institute that you choose must be within driving distance of your College Point residence, unless you are able to relocate. You may look into attending classes online, but you would still have to travel for your externship training. Alternatively, maybe you have opted to attend a particular culinary institute located in a different state because of its reputation and courses offered. It would be a wise decision to check out the campus before enrolling, to make sure that you are comfortable with the area and your prospective living conditions. Look over the training facilities personally to make certain they are modern and that the equipment is contemporary. Keep in mind also that some schools focus their job placement programs within their regional communities, so choose a location where you will be happy working.
Class Sizes. The most effective way to learn how to cook is with a lot of personalized training. If the culinary arts college you enroll in has large classes, you will most likely get limited personal attention from the teachers. The best manner in which to evaluate the interaction between teachers and students is to sit in on several of the classes. Ask some of the students what their experience has been. Find out if they are pleased with the level of attention they get in class as well as the overall training. Also, speak with some of the teachers and learn what their teaching styles are as well as their experiences 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 confirm that the school you select provides class scheduling that will accommodate your busy lifestyle. If you can only attend at night or on Saturdays or Sundays near College Point NY because of your job schedule, make certain that the school you select offers either weekend or evening classes. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the culinary arts college has a part-time option. Also, check to see what the make-up policy is if you have to miss a class as a result of family, work or other obligations.
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