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Contrasting Cooking Colleges
By now you should have made a decision regarding the type of degree that you wish to attain, and whether or not you want to enroll in a public or private school. Since there are numerous culinary arts schools in the Manhattan area and across the USA, you will want to develop a checklist of important qualifications so that you can begin limiting your choices. A few obvious qualifiers, for example cost and location are a good place to start. But picking 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 variables, including accreditation and reputation that you must review also. So below are some crucial areas that you must research for every school as you compare them and make your ultimate choice.
Accreditation. It's imperative that the culinary college you choose has some type of accreditation from either a regional or a national organization. As aforementioned, the accrediting organization should be a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged agency, such as the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have successfully completed a detailed evaluation pertaining to their course of study, teachers and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help establish that you will receive quality training, but it can also assist in securing a student loan or financial assistance which are generally not accessible for non-accredited schools.
Age. Newer schools often have the advantage of having modern equipment and facilities. However, they may not have been open 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 Conversely, more established schools may still be using their original, outdated equipment, but have established a sustained history of success and obtained one or more accreditations. Also, the much more a school has operated, the more alumni the school can solicit for its job placement program. Obviously there is some give and take dependent on the age of the cooking schools. And older, more renowned schools usually modernize 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 state-of-the-art facility with newer equipment.
Job Placement Rates. First, find out what the graduation rates are for the culinary institutions you are assessing. Lower graduation rates are indications that a number of students were dissatisfied with either the colleges or the programs and quit before graduating. They may also indicate that the teachers were not qualified to teach the course of study. Ask the schools to supply their job placement rates as well. If a college has a higher job placement rate, it will help verify that it has a good or excellent reputation within the cooking community, in addition to a wide network of professional relationships. Be suspicious of any school that will not furnish this information.
Location. The culinary arts school that you choose should be within driving distance of your Manhattan home, unless you can move. You may think about attending college online, but you would still need to travel for your externship program. Alternatively, perhaps you have chosen to go to a particular culinary arts institute located in a different state due to its reputation and courses offered. It would be a good idea to pay a visit to the facility before enrolling, to make certain that you are comfortable with the location and your future living conditions. Look over the training facilities personally to make sure they are up to date and that the equipment is contemporary. Keep in mind also that some schools focus their job assistance programs within their local communities, so choose a location where you will enjoy working.
Class Sizes. The best method to learn how to cook is with lots of personalized training. If the cooking institute you enroll in has larger classes, you will probably receive limited personal attention from the instructors. The ideal means to assess the interaction between instructors and students is to audit several of the classes. Ask some of the students what their experience has been. Ascertain if they are satisfied with the amount of attention they get in class in addition to the entire course of training. Also, talk with several of the instructors and find out what their teaching approaches are along with their backgrounds and credentials.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no sense in enrolling in a cooking institute if you will not be able to attend the classes. So confirm that the school you decide on provides class scheduling that can accommodate your busy lifestyle. If you can only attend in the evening or on Saturdays or Sundays near Manhattan NY because of your work schedule, confirm that the school you pick offers either weekend or night classes. If you can only attend part-time, verify that the culinary arts college has a part-time offering. Also, check to see what the make-up protocol is if you need to miss a class as a result of family, work or other obligations.
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