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Contrasting Cooking Institutions
By now you should have decided on the type of degree that you plan to earn, and if you would like to enroll in a public or private college. Since there are numerous culinary arts programs in the Jamaica area and within the United States, you will want to develop a checklist of essential qualifications so that you can begin narrowing down your options. Certain obvious qualifications, for instance location and cost are a good place to begin. But deciding on a school because it is the nearest or the least expensive is not the best way to decide on your education. There are other criteria, such as reputation and accreditation that you must review also. Therefore, following are some critical areas that you need to investigate for every school as you compare them and make your ultimate selection.
Accreditation. It's essential that the culinary arts college you choose has some form of accreditation from either a local or a national authority. As previously mentioned, the accrediting organization should be a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged organization, for instance the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have passed a comprehensive review regarding their curriculum, teachers and facilities. So not only does accreditation help establish that you will receive quality training, but it may also help in acquiring a student loan or financial assistance which are generally not accessible for non-accredited schools.
Age. Newer schools generally have the benefit of possessing modern equipment and facilities. However, they may not have been open 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 lengthy track record of excellence and received one or more accreditations. Also, the much more a school has been in operation, the more alumni the school can reach out to for its job placement program. Naturally there is some give and take dependent on the age of the culinary schools. And older, more highly regarded schools usually modernize their facilities and equipment. The important lesson is that in the best case scenario, your selected school will have an excellent reputation, accreditation and a modern facility with modern equipment.
Job Placement Rates. First off, ask what the graduation rates are for the cooking colleges you are examining. Lower graduation rates are indications that many students were unhappy with either the institutes or the programs and dropped out. They may also indicate that the instructors were not qualified to teach the course of study. Ask the schools to provide their job placement rates also. If a school has a higher job placement rate, it will help validate that it has a good or outstanding reputation within the cooking community, as well as a wide network of professional connections. Be skeptical of any school that will not supply this information.
Location. The culinary institute that you choose should be within commuting distance of your Jamaica home, unless you are able to move. You may look into attending school online, but you would still need to travel for your externship training. Conversely, maybe you have decided to go to a specific culinary institute located in a different state because of its ranking and programs offered. It would be a wise decision to pay a visit to the campus before enrolling, to make certain that you are satisfied with the location and your potential living conditions. Check the training facilities in person to make certain they are up to date and that the equipment is contemporary. Remember also that many schools concentrate their job assistance programs within their local communities, so select a location where you will satisfied working.
Class Sizes. The most effective way to learn how to cook is with a lot of personalized instruction. If the culinary school you enroll in has larger classes, you will most likely receive little individual attention from the instructors. The optimal way to evaluate the communication and interaction between instructors and students is to sit in on a few of the classes. Ask a couple of the students what their experience has been. Ascertain if they are happy with the level of attention they get in class in addition to the overall training. Also, talk with a few of the teachers and determine what their teaching approaches are as well as their histories and qualifications.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no point in enrolling in a cooking school if you will not be able to attend the classes. So make sure that the school you select has available class scheduling that will fit in with your active lifestyle. If you can only attend in the evening or on Saturdays or Sundays near Jamaica NY due to your work schedule, check that the school you decide on offers either night or weekend classes. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, verify that the culinary arts program has a part-time option. Also, check to see what the make-up policy is if you must miss a class due to family, work or other responsibilities.
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