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Evaluating Culinary Arts Institutes
At this point you should have decided on the type of degree that you plan to earn, and whether or not you want to enroll in a public or private institution. Since there a large number of culinary arts colleges in the Jamestown area and within the USA, you will want to create a checklist of important qualifications so that you can begin narrowing down your options. A few obvious qualifiers, for instance location and cost are a good place to start. But deciding on a school because it is the closest or the least expensive is not the best way to make a decision regarding your education. There are other factors, including accreditation and reputation that you should evaluate as well. So following are some key areas that you must research for each school as you compare them and make your final decision.
Accreditation. It's imperative that the culinary institute you decide on has some form of accreditation from either a regional or a national agency. As mentioned previously, the accrediting authority should be a U.S. Department of Education certified organization, for instance the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have successfully completed a thorough assessment relating to their course of study, instructors and facilities. So not only does accreditation help ensure that you will receive quality training, but it may also assist in securing a student loan or financial aid which are generally not offered for non-accredited schools.
Age. Recently established schools frequently have the advantage of having modern equipment and facilities. However, they may not have been in operation long enough to acquire an accreditation or to establish 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 longer a school has been in business, 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 cooking schools. And older, more highly regarded schools commonly update their facilities and equipment. The valuable takeaway is that in the best case scenario, your selected school will have an exceptional reputation, accreditation and a modern facility with newer equipment.
Job Placement Rates. Initially, find out what the graduation rates are for the culinary programs you are reviewing. Lower graduation rates are indicators that a number of students were dissatisfied with either the institutes or the programs and dropped out. They may also indicate that the teachers were not qualified to teach the course of study. Ask the schools to supply their job placement rates as well. If a school has a higher job placement rate, it will help affirm that it has a good or excellent reputation within the culinary arts community, in addition to a large network of professional associations. Watch out for any school that will not provide this information.
Location. The cooking school that you choose must be within driving distance of your Jamestown residence, unless you can move. You may look into attending college online, but you would still need to travel for your externship program. On the other hand, maybe you have decided to go to a particular culinary institute located in a different state because of its ranking and courses offered. It would be a wise decision to visit the facility before enrolling, to make sure that you are comfortable with the location and your future living conditions. Tour the training facilities personally to make certain they are up to date and that the equipment is contemporary. Remember also that some schools focus their job placement programs within their local communities, so select a location where you will satisfied working.
Class Sizes. The best way to learn how to cook is with plenty of personalized training. If the cooking college you enroll in has bigger classes, you will probably get minimal personal attention from the teachers. The best way to evaluate the interaction between teachers and students is to audit several of the classes. Ask some of the students what their experience has been. Ascertain if they are satisfied with the level of attention they get in class in addition to the overall training. Also, talk with several of the teachers and learn what their teaching styles are as well as their backgrounds and credentials.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no point in enrolling in a culinary arts institute if you will not be able to attend the classes. Therefore confirm that the school you decide on provides class scheduling that will fit in with your active lifestyle. If you can only attend in the evening or on Saturdays or Sundays near Jamestown NY due to your work schedule, check that the school you choose offers either night or weekend classes. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, check that the cooking program has a part-time offering. Also, check to see what the make-up protocol is if you have to miss a class as a result of family, work or other commitments.
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