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Comparing Culinary Arts Institutions
By now you should have decided on the type of degree that you wish to attain, and if you want to enroll in a private or a public institute. Since there are numerous culinary arts schools in the Jackson Heights area and across the Country, you must develop a checklist of important qualifications so that you can begin narrowing down your options. A few obvious qualifications, such as location and cost are an excellent place to start. But choosing a school because it is the nearest or the least expensive is not the ideal way to make a decision regarding your education. There are other criteria, such as reputation and accreditation that you need to evaluate also. Therefore, following are some crucial areas that you must investigate for each school as you compare them and make your final choice.
Accreditation. It's very important that the culinary arts school you decide on has some type of accreditation from either a local or a national authority. As aforementioned, 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 thorough assessment pertaining to their course of study, teachers and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help ensure that you will receive exceptional training, but it may also help in obtaining a student loan or financial assistance which are generally not available for non-accredited schools.
Age. Newer schools frequently have the benefit of possessing modern equipment and facilities. However, they may not have been in operation long enough to garner an accreditation or to develop a reputation. On the other hand, more established schools may still be using their original, outdated equipment, but have established a sustained track record of excellence and acquired one or more accreditations. Also, the much more a school has operated, the more graduates the school can reach out to for its job placement program. Naturally there is some give and take dependent on the age of the cooking schools. And older, more highly regarded schools typically update their equipment and facilities. The important lesson is that in the best case scenario, your chosen school will have an excellent reputation, accreditation and a modern facility with modern equipment.
Job Placement Rates. To begin with, ask what the graduation rates are for the cooking colleges you are examining. Low graduation rates are signs that numerous students were dissatisfied with either the institutes or the programs and quit before graduating. They might also indicate that the teachers were not competent to teach the curriculum. Ask the schools to provide their job placement rates as well. If a college has a high job placement rate, it will help confirm that it has a great or excellent reputation within the cooking community, as well as a wide network of professional contacts. Watch out for any school that will not provide this information.
Location. The cooking school that you attend should be within commuting distance of your Jackson Heights home, unless you are able to move. You may consider attending school online, but you would still need to travel for your externship training. On the other hand, perhaps you have chosen to enroll in a particular culinary college located in another state because of its ranking and programs offered. It would be a good idea to pay a visit to the facility before enrolling, to make sure that you are satisfied with the area and your potential living conditions. Tour the training facilities in person to make certain they are modern and that the equipment is contemporary. Remember also that a number of schools concentrate their job assistance programs within their regional communities, so choose a location where you will enjoy working.
Class Sizes. The best way to learn how to cook is with lots of personalized instruction. If the culinary arts school you enroll in has large classes, you will probably receive little individual attention from the instructors. The ideal way to evaluate the interaction between faculty and students is to audit a few of the classes. Ask some of the students what their experience has been. Ascertain if they are pleased with the level of attention they receive in class in addition to the entire course of training. Also, talk with a couple of the teachers and determine what their teaching approaches are as well as their histories and credentials.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no benefit to in enrolling in a culinary arts school if you will be unable to attend the classes. So make certain that the school you choose has available class scheduling that will work with your hectic lifestyle. If you can only attend in the evening or on Saturdays or Sundays near Jackson Heights NY due to your job schedule, make certain that the school you decide on offers either weekend or night classes. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the cooking school has a part-time option. Also, find out what the make-up protocol is if you have to miss a class due to family, work or other obligations.
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