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Evaluating Culinary Schools
At this point you should have decided on the type of degree that you plan to earn, and if you would like to enroll in a private or a public institution. Since there are numerous cooking colleges in the Fort Hamilton area and across the Country, you need to develop a checklist of essential qualifications so that you can start narrowing your options. A few obvious qualifications, including cost and location are an excellent place to start. But choosing a school because it is the nearest or the cheapest is not the optimal way to decide on your education. There are other considerations, including accreditation and reputation that you must assess as well. Therefore, below are some key areas that you should investigate for every school as you compare and contrast them and make your ultimate choice.
Accreditation. It's very important that the culinary arts school you select has some form of accreditation from either a regional or a national organization. As previously mentioned, the accrediting organization should be a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged authority, for instance the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have successfully completed a comprehensive assessment regarding their course of study, teachers and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help establish that you will receive exceptional training, but it may also help in securing a student loan or financial assistance which are generally not accessible for non-accredited schools.
Age. Recently established schools generally have the benefit of having modern equipment and facilities. However, they may not have been operating long enough to garner an accreditation or to establish a reputation. Conversely, older schools may still be using their original, dated equipment, but have established a lengthy history of success and received one or more accreditations. Also, the much more a school has been in operation, the more alumni the school can reach out to for its job assistance program. Certainly there is some give and take dependent on the age of the cooking schools. And older, more highly regarded schools commonly update their equipment and facilities. The valuable takeaway is that in the best case scenario, your chosen school will have an exceptional 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 culinary schools you are looking at. Lower graduation rates are red flags that numerous students were dissatisfied with either the schools or the programs and quit before graduating. They can also suggest that the teachers were not competent to teach the curriculum. Ask the schools to provide their job placement rates as well. If a school has a higher job placement rate, it will help validate 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 institute that you attend must be within driving distance of your Fort Hamilton home, unless you can relocate. You may look into attending college online, but you would still need to travel for your externship program. Alternatively, perhaps you have chosen to enroll in a particular culinary college located in another state because of its reputation and programs offered. It would be a good idea to check out the campus before enrolling, to make sure that you are satisfied with the area and your prospective living conditions. Check the training facilities in person to make sure they are modern and that the equipment is contemporary. Keep in mind also that many schools target their job placement programs within their local communities, so select a location where you will enjoy working.
Class Sizes. The best approach to learn how to cook is with plenty of personalized training. If the culinary arts program you enroll in has larger classes, you will undoubtedly get limited personal attention from the teachers. The best way to evaluate 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 pleased with the level of attention they receive in class as well as the overall training. Also, talk with some of the teachers and learn what their teaching philosophies are along with their backgrounds and qualifications.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no benefit to in enrolling in a culinary college if you will not be able to attend the classes. So confirm that the school you select has available class scheduling that can work with your busy lifestyle. If you can only attend in the evening or on Saturdays or Sundays near Fort Hamilton NY because of your job schedule, confirm that the school you select offers either night or weekend classes. If you can only attend part-time, confirm that the cooking college has a part-time option. 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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