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Evaluating Culinary Programs
By now you should have made a decision regarding the type of degree that you plan to earn, and if you want to enroll in a private or a public school. Since there are numerous culinary arts institutions in the Greenburgh area and within the USA, you need to develop a checklist of essential qualifiers so that you can begin narrowing down your choices. Certain obvious qualifiers, for instance location and cost are a good place to begin. But choosing a school because it is the nearest or the cheapest is not the optimal way to make a decision regarding your education. There are other variables, such as accreditation and reputation that you should evaluate as well. Therefore, below are some crucial areas that you will need to research for every school as you compare them and make your final decision.
Accreditation. It's imperative that the culinary arts school you decide on has some form of accreditation from either a local or a national authority. As previously stated, the accrediting organization should be a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged agency, such as the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have passed a thorough review pertaining to their curriculum, instructors and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help ascertain that you will receive exceptional training, but it may also assist in acquiring a student loan or financial assistance which are often not offered for non-accredited schools.
Age. Recently established schools generally have the benefit of possessing modern facilities and equipment. However, they may not have been operating long enough to earn an accreditation or to establish a reputation. Conversely, older schools may still be using their original, outdated equipment, but have established a long track record of excellence and earned one or more accreditations. Also, the longer a school has been in business, the more graduates the school can reach out to for its job assistance program. Obviously there is some give and take dependent on the age of the culinary arts schools. And older, more reputable schools commonly modernize their facilities and equipment. The important takeaway is that in the best case scenario, your chosen school will have an exceptional reputation, accreditation and a modern facility with newer equipment.
Job Placement Rates. To begin with, ask what the graduation rates are for the cooking institutions you are reviewing. Low graduation rates are signs that a number of 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. Request that the schools furnish their job placement rates as well. If a school has a higher job placement rate, it will help verify that it has a great or excellent reputation within the culinary field, in addition to a large network of professional connections. Watch out for any school that will not supply this information.
Location. The cooking college that you choose must be within driving distance of your Greenburgh residence, unless you have decided to move. You may think about attending college online, but you would still need to travel for your externship program. Conversely, perhaps you have chosen to attend a particular culinary arts college located in a different state because of its reputation and courses offered. It would be a good idea to check out the campus before enrolling, to make sure that you are satisfied with the location and your prospective living conditions. Tour the training facilities personally to make sure they are modern and that the equipment is contemporary. Keep in mind also that a number of schools concentrate their job assistance programs within their local communities, so choose a location where you will enjoy working.
Class Sizes. The ideal approach to learn how to cook is with a lot of one-on-one instruction. If the cooking school you enroll in has large classes, you will probably get little personal attention from the instructors. The optimal 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. Find out if they are happy with the level of attention they get in class in addition to the entire course of training. Also, speak with some of the teachers and determine what their teaching philosophies are together with their experiences and qualifications.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no benefit to in enrolling in a culinary program if you will not be able to attend the classes. Therefore confirm that the school you pick has available class scheduling that can accommodate your active lifestyle. If you can only attend at night or on weekends near Greenburgh NY because of your job schedule, confirm that the school you select offers either night or weekend classes. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, verify that the culinary arts school has a part-time alternative. Also, find out what the make-up protocol is if you need to miss a class due to work, family or other commitments.
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