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Researching Culinary Institutions
At this point you should have made a decision regarding the type of degree that you wish to attain, and if you want to enroll in a public or private institution. Since there a large number of culinary institutions in the Greece area and within the Country, you will want to create a checklist of important qualifications so that you can begin limiting your choices. Some obvious qualifications, including location and cost are an excellent place to start. But picking a school because it is the closest or the least expensive is not the optimal way to make a decision regarding your education. There are other criteria, including accreditation and reputation that you must review as well. Therefore, below are some critical areas that you should investigate for every school as you compare them and make your final decision.
Accreditation. It's very important that the culinary arts institute you select has some form of accreditation from either a regional or a national organization. As previously stated, the accrediting agency should be a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged organization, such as the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have passed a thorough review relating to their course of study, teachers and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help confirm that you will receive exceptional training, but it can also assist in obtaining a student loan or financial aid which are generally not offered for non-accredited schools.
Age. Recently established schools generally have the advantage of having modern facilities and equipment. However, they may not have been operating long enough to garner an accreditation or to cultivate a reputation. Conversely, older schools may still be using their original, dated equipment, but have established a sustained track record of success and received 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 placement program. Certainly there is some give and take based on the age of the cooking schools. And older, more renowned schools typically update their equipment and facilities. The significant takeaway is that in the best case scenario, your selected school will have an excellent reputation, accreditation and a modern facility with newer equipment.
Job Placement Rates. First off, find out what the graduation rates are for the culinary arts colleges you are reviewing. Low graduation rates are red flags that many students were dissatisfied with either the institutes or the training and dropped out. They can also signify that the teachers were not qualified to teach the course of study. Ask the schools to furnish their job placement rates also. If a school has a high job placement rate, it will help confirm that it has a good or exceptional reputation within the culinary field, as well as a wide network of professional contacts. Be skeptical of any school that will not furnish this information.
Location. The culinary college that you choose should be within driving distance of your Greece home, unless you are able to relocate. You may consider attending classes online, but you would still need to travel for your externship program. Conversely, perhaps you have opted to go to a specific culinary arts institute located in another state because of its ranking and courses offered. It would be a wise decision to pay a visit to the campus before enrolling, to make certain that you are comfortable with the area and your potential living conditions. Inspect the training facilities in person to make certain they are modern and that the equipment is state of the art. Keep in mind also that some schools focus their job placement programs within their local communities, so choose a location where you will satisfied working.
Class Sizes. The ideal approach to learn how to cook is with lots of one-on-one training. If the culinary program you enroll in has larger classes, you will most likely get little individual attention from the instructors. The best manner in which to assess the communication and interaction between instructors and students is to attend a few of the classes. Ask some of the students what their experience has been. Ascertain if they are pleased with the amount of attention they get in class as well as the entire course of training. Also, speak with several of the teachers and determine what their teaching approaches are as well as their histories and credentials.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no point in enrolling in a cooking school if you will not be able to attend the classes. So confirm that the school you decide on offers class scheduling that can fit in with your busy lifestyle. If you can only attend at night or on Saturdays or Sundays near Greece NY because of your job schedule, check that the school you pick offers either weekend or evening classes. If you can only attend part-time, verify that the culinary arts college has a part-time alternative. Also, ask what the make-up protocol is if you have to miss a class as a result of work, family or other obligations.
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