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Evaluating Culinary Arts Colleges
By now you should have decided on the type of degree that you wish to attain, and whether or not you want to enroll in a public or private institute. Since there a large number of culinary arts institutions in the Copiague area and within the USA, you need to develop a checklist of essential qualifiers so that you can start limiting your choices. Certain obvious qualifiers, including location and cost are a good place to start. But choosing a school because it is the nearest or the most affordable is not the best way to decide on your education. There are other criteria, for example reputation and accreditation that you must evaluate also. So below are some critical areas that you need to investigate for each school as you compare and contrast them and make your ultimate choice.
Accreditation. It's important that the cooking school you choose has some form of accreditation from either a local or a national organization. As mentioned previously, the accrediting agency should be a U.S. Department of Education certified authority, such as the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have successfully completed a detailed evaluation relating to their curriculum, teachers and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help ascertain that you will receive quality training, but it may also assist in obtaining a student loan or financial aid which are generally not available for non-accredited schools.
Age. Recently established schools frequently have the advantage of possessing modern equipment and facilities. However, they may not have been in operation long enough to acquire an accreditation or to establish a reputation. Conversely, more established schools may still be using their original, dated equipment, but have established a sustained history of excellence and obtained one or more accreditations. Also, the longer a school has been in business, 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 arts schools. And older, more renowned schools usually modernize their facilities and equipment. The important lesson is that in the best case scenario, your chosen school will have an outstanding reputation, accreditation and a modern facility with modern equipment.
Job Placement Rates. Initially, find out what the graduation rates are for the culinary arts schools you are assessing. Lower graduation rates are indications that a number of students were unhappy with either the schools or the programs and dropped out. They can also signify that the teachers were not qualified to teach the curriculum. Request that the schools provide their job placement rates also. If a school has a high job placement rate, it will help validate that it has a good or excellent reputation within the culinary arts field, in addition to a large network of professional associations. Be suspicious of any school that will not furnish this information.
Location. The cooking school that you choose should be within driving distance of your Copiague home, unless you can move. You may look into attending school online, but you would still need to travel for your externship program. Conversely, maybe you have decided to enroll in a specific culinary school located in another state due to its ranking and programs offered. It would be a good idea to visit the campus before enrolling, to make sure that you are comfortable with the area and your potential living conditions. Look over the training facilities personally to make certain they are modern and that the equipment is contemporary. Remember also that many schools target their job assistance programs within their local communities, so choose a location where you will enjoy working.
Class Sizes. The ideal method to learn how to cook is with plenty of one-on-one training. If the culinary arts program you enroll in has large classes, you will probably receive little personal attention from the instructors. The best manner in which to assess the interaction and communication between teachers and students is to sit in on some of the classes. Ask some of the students what their experience has been. Find out if they are pleased with the amount of attention they receive in class in addition to the entire course of training. Also, talk with a couple of the teachers and find out what their teaching styles are as well as their histories and credentials.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no benefit to in enrolling in a culinary school if you will not be able to attend the classes. So make sure that the school you select has available class scheduling that will accommodate your active lifestyle. If you can only attend in the evening or on weekends near Copiague NY due to your work schedule, make sure that the school you pick offers either weekend or evening classes. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the culinary school has a part-time offering. Also, ask what the make-up protocol is if you have to miss a class as a result of work, family or other responsibilities.
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