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Contrasting Culinary Arts Institutes
By now you should have made a decision regarding the type of degree that you plan to attain, and if you would like to enroll in a public or private institute. Since there a large number of culinary programs in the Islip area and within the United States, you must develop a checklist of essential qualifiers so that you can start narrowing down your options. A few obvious qualifiers, including cost and location are an excellent place to start. But picking a school because it is the closest or the least expensive is not the ideal way to decide on your education. There are other criteria, including reputation and accreditation that you should evaluate as well. Therefore, following are some key areas that you will need to research for each school as you compare them and make your ultimate choice.
Accreditation. It's essential that the culinary school you pick has some form of accreditation from either a local or a national authority. As mentioned previously, the accrediting authority should be a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged agency, for example the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have passed a comprehensive assessment relating to their curriculum, teachers and facilities. So not only does accreditation help establish 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. Newer schools often have the benefit of possessing modern facilities and equipment. However, they may not have been operating long enough to acquire an accreditation or to establish a reputation. Conversely, more established schools may still be using their original, outdated equipment, but have established a sustained history of excellence and received one or more accreditations. Also, the much more a school has been in business, the more graduates 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 reputable schools usually update their facilities and equipment. The valuable takeaway is that in the best case scenario, your selected school will have an outstanding reputation, accreditation and a modern facility with modern equipment.
Job Placement Rates. Initially, ask what the graduation rates are for the cooking colleges you are evaluating. Lower graduation rates are red flags that numerous students were unhappy with either the colleges or the training and quit before graduating. They can also signify that the teachers were not qualified to teach the curriculum. Request that the schools provide their job placement rates also. If a school has a high job placement rate, it will help affirm 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 supply this information.
Location. The cooking institute that you choose must be within driving distance of your Islip home, unless you have decided to move. You may think about attending classes online, but you would still need to travel for your externship training. Alternatively, perhaps you have decided to attend a particular culinary arts school located in another state because of its reputation and programs offered. It would be a wise decision to pay a visit to the campus before enrolling, to make sure that you are comfortable with the area and your future living conditions. Check 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 a number of schools target their job assistance programs within their local communities, so select a location where you will enjoy working.
Class Sizes. The ideal approach to learn how to cook is with a lot of personalized training. If the culinary college you enroll in has larger classes, you will most likely receive minimal individual attention from the teachers. The ideal means to evaluate the interaction between teachers and students is to sit in on a few of the classes. Ask some of the students what their experience has been. Ascertain if they are satisfied with the amount of attention they get in class as well as the entire course of training. Also, speak with several of the instructors and determine what their teaching philosophies are along with their experiences and credentials.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no benefit to in enrolling in a cooking school if you will not be able to attend the classes. Therefore make certain that the school you select offers class scheduling that will accommodate your active lifestyle. If you can only attend at night or on weekends near Islip NY because of your work schedule, make sure that the school you select offers either night or weekend classes. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the cooking institute has a part-time offering. Also, check to see what the make-up protocol is if you have to miss a class because of family, work or other commitments.
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