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Contrasting Culinary Arts Programs
By now you should have made a decision regarding the type of degree that you plan to attain, and whether or not you want to enroll in a private or a public institution. Since there are numerous cooking colleges in the Lynbrook area and within the United States, you must develop a checklist of essential qualifiers so that you can begin narrowing your choices. Certain obvious qualifiers, for example cost and location are an excellent place to begin. But choosing a school because it is the nearest or the cheapest is not the best way to make a decision regarding your education. There are other criteria, such as accreditation and reputation that you need to review as well. Therefore, below are some crucial areas that you need to investigate for every school as you compare them and make your final choice.
Accreditation. It's essential that the cooking institute you select has some type of accreditation from either a regional or a national organization. As previously mentioned, the accrediting authority should be a U.S. Department of Education recognized organization, for instance the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have passed a thorough review regarding their curriculum, teachers and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help ascertain that you will receive quality training, but it may also assist in obtaining a student loan or financial assistance which are generally not available for non-accredited schools.
Age. Newer schools generally have the benefit of having modern facilities and equipment. However, they may not have been open long enough to earn 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 sustained history of excellence and earned 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 assistance program. Naturally there is some give and take based on the age of the culinary schools. And older, more renowned schools usually update their facilities and equipment. The important 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. First, ask what the graduation rates are for the culinary arts institutions you are looking at. Lower graduation rates are indicators that many students were unhappy with either the schools or the training and quit before graduating. They may also signify that the teachers were not qualified to teach the curriculum. Ask the schools to supply their job placement rates as well. If a school has a higher job placement rate, it will help confirm that it has a great or exceptional reputation within the cooking community, in addition to a broad network of professional contacts. Be suspicious of any school that will not provide this information.
Location. The culinary arts school that you choose should be within commuting distance of your Lynbrook home, unless you are able to relocate. You may look into attending classes online, but you would still have to travel for your externship training. On the other hand, perhaps you have opted to go to a particular culinary arts school located in a different state due to its ranking and courses 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 prospective living conditions. Inspect the training facilities personally to make sure they are modern and that the equipment is contemporary. Remember also that some schools target their job placement programs within their regional communities, so pick a location where you will be happy working.
Class Sizes. The ideal method to learn how to cook is with a lot of personalized instruction. If the cooking program you enroll in has large classes, you will undoubtedly receive limited personal attention from the teachers. The optimal way to assess the interaction and communication between instructors and students is to audit several of the classes. Ask a couple of the students what their experience has been. Find out if they are pleased with the amount of attention they receive in class in addition to the entire course of training. Also, talk with a few of the teachers and learn what their teaching philosophies are as well as their experiences and credentials.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no benefit to in enrolling in a cooking institute if you will not be able to attend the classes. Therefore confirm that the school you decide on offers class scheduling that will accommodate your busy lifestyle. If you can only attend at night or on Saturdays or Sundays near Lynbrook NY due to your job schedule, verify that the school you select offers either weekend or night classes. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the cooking college has a part-time alternative. Also, check to see what the make-up policy is if you need to miss a class because of work, family or other responsibilities.
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