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Evaluating Culinary Arts Institutes
By now you should have decided on the type of degree that you plan to attain, and whether or not you want to enroll in a public or private college. Since there a large number of culinary arts colleges in the Long Island City area and within the USA, you must create a checklist of essential qualifications so that you can begin narrowing down your choices. Certain obvious qualifications, including cost and location are an excellent place to begin. But deciding on a school because it is the nearest or the cheapest is not the optimal way to decide on your education. There are other variables, including accreditation and reputation that you need to evaluate also. Therefore, following are some critical areas that you will need to investigate for every school as you compare them and make your final choice.
Accreditation. It's essential that the culinary program you select has some type of accreditation from either a regional or a national organization. As previously mentioned, the accrediting organization should be a U.S. Department of Education certified authority, such as the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have successfully completed a thorough review pertaining to their course of study, teachers and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help ensure that you will receive excellent training, but it can also assist in acquiring a student loan or financial aid which are frequently not offered for non-accredited schools.
Age. Recently established schools frequently have the benefit of having 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 lengthy track record of excellence and obtained one or more accreditations. Also, the longer a school has been in operation, the more graduates the school can solicit for its job assistance program. Obviously there is some give and take based on the age of the culinary arts schools. And older, more highly regarded schools usually update their equipment and facilities. The important takeaway is that in the best case scenario, your selected school will have an outstanding reputation, accreditation and a state-of-the-art facility with modern equipment.
Job Placement Rates. To begin with, find out what the graduation rates are for the cooking institutions you are assessing. Lower graduation rates are indications that numerous students were unhappy with either the schools or the programs and dropped out. They might also suggest that the instructors were not competent to teach the course of study. Ask the schools to provide their job placement rates as well. If a school has a high job placement rate, it will help affirm that it has a good or outstanding reputation within the culinary arts community, as well as a large network of professional associations. Be suspicious of any school that will not furnish this information.
Location. The culinary arts institute that you attend must be within commuting distance of your Long Island City home, unless you are able to move. You may think about attending college online, but you would still need to travel for your externship program. Conversely, perhaps you have chosen to attend a particular culinary arts college located in another state due to its reputation and courses offered. It would be a good idea to visit 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 certain they are modern and that the equipment is state of the art. Keep in mind also that some schools target their job assistance programs within their local communities, so choose a location where you will satisfied working.
Class Sizes. The most effective approach to learn how to cook is with lots of one-on-one instruction. If the culinary arts program you enroll in has large classes, you will most likely receive little individual attention from the instructors. The best manner in which to assess the communication and interaction between teachers and students is to sit in on some of the classes. Ask a couple of the students what their experience has been. Ascertain if they are pleased with the level of attention they get in class in addition to the overall training. Also, talk with a couple of the instructors and find out what their teaching approaches are together with their experiences and qualifications.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no benefit to in enrolling in a culinary arts institute if you will not be able to attend the classes. Therefore make sure that the school you choose provides class scheduling that will work with your busy lifestyle. If you can only attend in the evening or on weekends near Long Island City NY due to your job schedule, make certain that the school you choose offers either night or weekend classes. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the cooking program has a part-time alternative. Also, check to see what the make-up policy is if you must miss a class as a result of work, family or other responsibilities.
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