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Researching Cooking Colleges
At this point you should have decided on the type of degree that you wish to earn, and whether or not you would like to enroll in a public or private institute. Since there are numerous culinary arts colleges in the Lysander area and within the United States, you need to develop a checklist of essential qualifiers so that you can start narrowing down your choices. Certain obvious qualifications, for instance location and cost are an excellent place to start. But selecting a school because it is the closest or the cheapest is not the best way to make a decision regarding your education. There are other factors, such as accreditation and reputation that you need to evaluate as well. Therefore, below are some key areas that you should investigate for each school as you compare and contrast them and make your final decision.
Accreditation. It's important that the cooking school you decide on has some type of accreditation from either a local or a national agency. As mentioned previously, the accrediting authority should be a U.S. Department of Education certified agency, such as the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have successfully completed a comprehensive evaluation relating to their curriculum, teachers and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help ensure that you will receive excellent training, but it may also help in acquiring a student loan or financial aid which are generally not accessible for non-accredited schools.
Age. Recently established schools often have the advantage of possessing modern equipment and facilities. However, they may not have been in operation long enough to earn an accreditation or to develop a reputation. Conversely, more established schools may still be using their original, outdated equipment, but have established a long track record of success and earned one or more accreditations. Also, the much more a school has operated, the more graduates the school can solicit for its job assistance program. Naturally there is some give and take based on the age of the culinary schools. And older, more highly regarded schools usually update their facilities and equipment. The significant lesson is that in the best case scenario, your chosen school will have an excellent reputation, accreditation and a state-of-the-art facility with modern equipment.
Job Placement Rates. First, ask what the graduation rates are for the culinary arts schools you are evaluating. Lower graduation rates are red flags that a number of students were unhappy with either the colleges or the training and dropped out. They might also indicate that the instructors were not qualified to teach the course of study. Request that the schools furnish their job placement rates also. If a college has a high job placement rate, it will help validate that it has a great or excellent reputation within the culinary field, in addition to a large network of professional associations. Watch out for any school that will not furnish this information.
Location. The culinary arts school that you choose must be within commuting distance of your Lysander residence, unless you can move. You may think about attending classes online, but you would still have to travel for your externship training. On the other hand, perhaps you have decided to enroll in a specific culinary institute located in a different state because of its reputation and courses offered. It would be a wise decision to visit the campus before enrolling, to make sure that you are comfortable with the area and your future living conditions. Look over the training facilities personally to make sure they are modern and that the equipment is contemporary. Keep in mind also that many schools focus their job placement programs within their regional communities, so pick a location where you will enjoy working.
Class Sizes. The most effective approach to learn how to cook is with lots of one-on-one instruction. If the cooking college you enroll in has bigger classes, you will probably get little personal attention from the teachers. The ideal way to assess the communication and interaction between faculty 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 satisfied with the level of attention they receive in class as well as the overall training. Also, speak with a few of the teachers and learn what their teaching philosophies are along with their histories and credentials.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no benefit to in enrolling in a cooking college if you will be unable to attend the classes. So make certain that the school you select provides class scheduling that can work with your active lifestyle. If you can only attend at night or on weekends near Lysander NY due to your work schedule, make certain that the school you pick offers either weekend or evening classes. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the cooking program has a part-time offering. Also, find out 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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