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Comparing Culinary Schools
At this point you should have decided on the type of degree that you plan to attain, and if you would like to enroll in a public or private college. Since there a large number of cooking schools in the Long Beach area and within the Country, you need to create a checklist of essential qualifiers so that you can begin narrowing down your options. A few obvious qualifications, such as cost and location are a good place to start. But selecting a school because it is the closest or the least expensive is not the optimal way to decide on your education. There are other variables, such as accreditation and reputation that you need to assess as well. So below are some critical areas that you should research for each school as you compare and contrast them and make your ultimate selection.
Accreditation. It's imperative that the cooking 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, such as the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have successfully completed a comprehensive review regarding their curriculum, teachers and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help establish that you will receive excellent training, but it can also assist in securing a student loan or financial assistance which are generally not available 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 acquire an accreditation or to cultivate a reputation. On the other hand, older schools may still be using their original, dated equipment, but have established a long history of success and earned one or more accreditations. Also, the much more a school has been in operation, the more graduates the school can reach out to for its job placement program. Naturally there is some give and take based on the age of the cooking schools. And older, more reputable schools commonly update their equipment and facilities. The valuable lesson is that in the best case scenario, your school of choice will have an outstanding reputation, accreditation and a state-of-the-art facility with modern equipment.
Job Placement Rates. First off, find out what the graduation rates are for the culinary arts institutes you are looking at. Low graduation rates are signs that a number of students were unhappy with either the institutes or the courses and quit before graduating. They might also indicate that the instructors were not qualified to teach the curriculum. Ask the schools to furnish their job placement rates also. If a college has a high job placement rate, it will help affirm that it has a good or outstanding reputation within the culinary arts community, in addition to a large network of professional associations. Be wary of any school that will not furnish this information.
Location. The culinary school that you enroll in should be within commuting distance of your Long Beach residence, unless you are willing to move. You may think about attending college online, but you would still need to travel for your externship training. On the other hand, perhaps you have decided to go to a specific culinary school located in a different state because of its prominence and programs offered. It would be a wise decision to check out the campus before enrolling, to make sure that you are comfortable with the location and your future living conditions. Check the training facilities in person to make certain they are modern and that the equipment is contemporary. Keep in mind also that a number of schools concentrate their job placement programs within their local communities, so pick a location where you will satisfied working.
Class Sizes. The ideal approach to learn how to cook is with plenty of personalized training. If the cooking institute you enroll in has bigger classes, you will probably receive limited individual attention from the teachers. The optimal means to assess the interaction and communication between faculty and students is to attend several of the classes. Ask a couple of the students what their experience has been. Find out if they are happy with the amount of attention they receive in class as well as the overall training. Also, talk with some of the instructors and learn what their teaching styles are together with their experiences and qualifications.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no sense in enrolling in a culinary school if you will be unable to attend the classes. So confirm that the school you choose provides class scheduling that can accommodate your busy lifestyle. If you can only attend in the evening or on Saturdays or Sundays near Long Beach NY because of your job schedule, check that the school you decide on offers either weekend or night classes. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the culinary college has a part-time offering. Also, find out what the make-up policy is if you must miss a class because of work, family or other commitments.
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