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Evaluating Cooking Institutions
At this point you should have made a decision regarding the type of degree that you plan to attain, and whether or not you would like to enroll in a public or private institution. Since there are numerous cooking programs in the Mamaroneck area and within the USA, you must create a checklist of important qualifiers so that you can begin narrowing your options. Certain obvious qualifications, such as location and cost are a good place to start. But deciding on a school because it is the nearest or the least expensive is not the optimal way to decide on your education. There are other factors, including accreditation and reputation that you should assess also. Therefore, following are some crucial areas that you must research for each school as you compare them and make your ultimate choice.
Accreditation. It's essential that the culinary arts institute you choose has some form of accreditation from either a regional or a national authority. As mentioned previously, the accrediting organization should be a U.S. Department of Education recognized agency, such as the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have successfully completed a detailed review relating to their curriculum, teachers and facilities. So not only does accreditation help confirm that you will receive excellent training, but it may also assist in acquiring a student loan or financial assistance which are often not offered for non-accredited schools.
Age. Recently established schools generally have the advantage of possessing modern facilities and equipment. However, they may not have been operating long enough to garner an accreditation or to establish a reputation. Conversely, more established schools may still be using their original, outdated equipment, but have established a lengthy history of success and acquired one or more accreditations. Also, the longer a school has operated, the more alumni the school can reach out to for its job assistance program. Certainly there is some give and take dependent on the age of the culinary arts schools. And older, more renowned schools typically modernize their facilities and equipment. The valuable lesson is that in the best case scenario, your selected school will have an exceptional reputation, accreditation and a modern facility with modern equipment.
Job Placement Rates. Initially, ask what the graduation rates are for the culinary arts institutes you are reviewing. Lower graduation rates are indications that a number of students were unhappy with either the colleges or the training and quit before graduating. They may also suggest that the instructors were not qualified to teach the course of study. Ask the schools to furnish their job placement rates as well. If a school has a higher job placement rate, it will help affirm that it has a great or excellent reputation within the cooking community, as well as a large network of professional contacts. Be skeptical of any school that will not furnish this information.
Location. The culinary arts college that you attend must be within driving distance of your Mamaroneck residence, unless you have decided to move. You may consider attending school online, but you would still need to travel for your externship program. On the other hand, perhaps you have decided to enroll in a specific culinary arts school located in another state due to its prominence and programs offered. It would be a good idea to check out the facility before enrolling, to make certain that you are comfortable with the location and your future living conditions. Tour the training facilities personally to make sure they are up to date and that the equipment is state of the art. Consider also that many schools focus their job placement programs within their local communities, so select a location where you will be happy working.
Class Sizes. The best approach to learn how to cook is with plenty of one-on-one training. If the culinary institute you enroll in has larger classes, you will probably get minimal personal attention from the teachers. The best manner in which to assess the interaction and communication between teachers and students is to audit some of the classes. Ask some of the students what their experience has been. Find out if they are happy with the level of attention they receive in class in addition to the entire course of training. Also, speak with some of the teachers and find out what their teaching styles are together with their backgrounds and credentials.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no sense in enrolling in a culinary college if you will be unable to attend the classes. Therefore confirm that the school you choose has available class scheduling that can fit in with your busy lifestyle. If you can only attend at night or on weekends near Mamaroneck NY because of your job schedule, make sure that the school you pick offers either night or weekend classes. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, verify that the culinary program has a part-time offering. Also, check to see what the make-up policy is if you must miss a class as a result of work, family or other commitments.
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