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Comparing Culinary Institutions
At this point you should have made a decision regarding the type of degree that you wish to attain, and whether or not you want to enroll in a private or a public institution. Since there are numerous cooking colleges in the Gates area and across the United States, you need to create a checklist of important qualifiers so that you can begin narrowing your choices. Some obvious qualifications, for instance cost and location are an excellent place to begin. But choosing a school because it is the nearest or the least expensive is not the optimal way to make a decision regarding your education. There are other factors, such as accreditation and reputation that you need to evaluate as well. Therefore, below are some key areas that you should research for each school as you compare and contrast them and make your ultimate selection.
Accreditation. It's essential that the culinary school you select has some form of accreditation from either a regional or a national organization. As previously stated, the accrediting organization should be a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged agency, for example the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have passed a thorough evaluation regarding their course of study, teachers and facilities. So not only does accreditation help establish that you will receive exceptional training, but it can also help in obtaining a student loan or financial aid which are generally not available for non-accredited schools.
Age. Newer schools generally have the advantage of having modern equipment and facilities. However, they may not have been in operation long enough to acquire an accreditation or to cultivate a reputation. Conversely, older schools may still be using their original, dated equipment, but have established a sustained history of excellence and earned one or more accreditations. Also, the longer a school has been in business, the more alumni the school can reach out to for its job assistance program. Obviously there is some give and take based on the age of the cooking schools. And older, more reputable schools commonly update their equipment and facilities. The valuable lesson is that in the best case scenario, your school of choice will have an outstanding reputation, accreditation and a state-of-the-art facility with modern equipment.
Job Placement Rates. Initially, ask what the graduation rates are for the cooking programs you are looking at. Lower graduation rates are indicators that a number of students were dissatisfied with either the institutes or the training and quit before graduating. They might also signify that the teachers were not qualified to teach the curriculum. Ask the schools to supply their job placement rates as well. If a college has a high job placement rate, it will help verify that it has a good or excellent reputation within the culinary community, in addition to a broad network of professional relationships. Be skeptical of any school that will not supply this information.
Location. The culinary school that you enroll in must be within driving distance of your Gates home, unless you can relocate. You may think about attending school online, but you would still need to travel for your externship training. On the other hand, perhaps you have decided to attend a particular culinary arts college located in a different state because of its prominence and programs offered. It would be a wise decision to check out the campus before enrolling, to make certain that you are comfortable with the area and your future living conditions. Check the training facilities in person to make certain they are up to date and that the equipment is state of the art. Consider 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 lots of personalized training. If the culinary college you enroll in has larger classes, you will undoubtedly get limited individual attention from the instructors. The ideal manner in which to evaluate the interaction and communication between instructors and students is to sit in on some of the classes. Ask a couple of the students what their experience has been. Ascertain if they are pleased with the amount of attention they receive in class in addition to the entire course of training. Also, talk with some of the teachers and find out what their teaching approaches are together with their histories and credentials.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no benefit to in enrolling in a culinary program if you will not be able to attend the classes. So make certain that the school you decide on has available class scheduling that will accommodate your hectic lifestyle. If you can only attend at night or on Saturdays or Sundays near Gates NY due to your job schedule, verify that the school you select offers either weekend or night classes. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the cooking program has a part-time alternative. Also, ask what the make-up protocol is if you need to miss a class because of work, family or other commitments.
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