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Researching Culinary Arts Programs
At this point you should have decided on the type of degree that you wish to attain, and whether or not you would like to enroll in a public or private institution. Since there are numerous culinary arts institutions in the Coram area and within the Country, you need to create a checklist of important qualifications so that you can start narrowing your choices. A few obvious qualifications, for example cost and location are an excellent place to start. But choosing a school because it is the closest or the least expensive is not the best way to make a decision regarding your education. There are other considerations, for example reputation and accreditation that you need to evaluate also. Therefore, below are some key areas that you will need to investigate for every school as you compare and contrast them and make your final choice.
Accreditation. It's imperative that the culinary arts institute you choose has some form of accreditation from either a regional or a national agency. As aforementioned, the accrediting organization should be a U.S. Department of Education recognized authority, for instance the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have passed a thorough assessment pertaining to their course of study, teachers and facilities. So not only does accreditation help establish that you will receive excellent training, but it may also help in acquiring a student loan or financial aid which are often not accessible for non-accredited schools.
Age. Newer schools frequently have the advantage of possessing modern facilities and equipment. However, they may not have been in operation long enough to garner an accreditation or to develop a reputation. On the other hand, older schools may still be using their original, outdated equipment, but have established a sustained track record of success and obtained one or more accreditations. Also, the much more a school has operated, the more alumni the school can solicit for its job assistance program. Naturally there is some give and take based on the age of the cooking schools. And older, more renowned schools usually modernize their equipment and facilities. The significant takeaway is that in the best case scenario, your selected school will have an outstanding reputation, accreditation and a state-of-the-art facility with newer equipment.
Job Placement Rates. Initially, find out what the graduation rates are for the culinary institutes you are looking at. Low graduation rates are indications that a number of students were unhappy with either the schools or the programs and quit before graduating. They might also indicate that the teachers were not competent to teach the curriculum. Request that the schools supply their job placement rates also. If a college has a higher job placement rate, it will help validate that it has a good or excellent reputation within the cooking field, as well as a broad network of professional contacts. Be wary of any school that will not furnish this information.
Location. The cooking institute that you enroll in should be within driving distance of your Coram home, unless you can relocate. You may consider attending classes online, but you would still need to travel for your externship training. Alternatively, maybe you have chosen to attend a particular culinary institute located in a different state due to its reputation and courses offered. It would be a good idea to pay a visit to the campus before enrolling, to make sure that you are satisfied with the area and your prospective living conditions. Look over the training facilities in person to make sure they are up to date and that the equipment is state of the art. Consider also that many schools concentrate their job placement programs within their regional communities, so choose a location where you will be happy working.
Class Sizes. The ideal method to learn how to cook is with a lot of one-on-one instruction. If the cooking program you enroll in has larger classes, you will probably receive little personal attention from the instructors. The optimal means to evaluate the communication and interaction between teachers and students is to audit a few of the classes. Ask some of the students what their experience has been. Ascertain if they are happy with the amount of attention they get in class as well as the entire course of training. Also, speak with a couple of the instructors and determine what their teaching styles are together with their experiences and credentials.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no benefit to in enrolling in a cooking college if you will be unable to attend the classes. So confirm that the school you choose offers class scheduling that will work with your busy lifestyle. If you can only attend at night or on weekends near Coram NY because of your work schedule, check that the school you choose offers either weekend or night classes. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the culinary arts program has a part-time offering. Also, check to see what the make-up protocol is if you have to miss a class due to work, family or other responsibilities.
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