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Researching Culinary Institutions
By now you should have made a decision regarding the type of degree that you plan to earn, and whether or not you would like to enroll in a public or private institution. Since there a large number of cooking schools in the Middletown area and across the Country, you need to develop a checklist of essential qualifiers so that you can begin narrowing your options. Certain obvious qualifiers, such as cost and location are a good place to start. But selecting a school because it is the nearest or the most affordable is not the best way to decide on your education. There are other variables, including accreditation and reputation that you should evaluate as well. Therefore, below are some crucial areas that you should investigate for each school as you compare them and make your final choice.
Accreditation. It's very important that the culinary arts institute you choose has some type of accreditation from either a regional or a national organization. As previously stated, the accrediting organization should be a U.S. Department of Education certified authority, such as the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have passed a thorough evaluation regarding their curriculum, instructors and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help establish that you will receive exceptional training, but it may also help in securing a student loan or financial assistance which are often not accessible for non-accredited schools.
Age. Newer schools often have the benefit of possessing modern equipment and facilities. However, they may not have been in operation long enough to acquire an accreditation or to establish a reputation. On the other hand, older schools may still be using their original, dated equipment, but have established a lengthy history of success and acquired one or more accreditations. Also, the much more a school has been in business, the more alumni the school can solicit for its job placement program. Certainly there is some give and take dependent on the age of the cooking schools. And older, more highly regarded schools commonly update their facilities and equipment. The important lesson is that in the best case scenario, your chosen school will have an outstanding reputation, accreditation and a modern facility with newer equipment.
Job Placement Rates. First off, find out what the graduation rates are for the culinary colleges you are looking at. Low graduation rates are indications that many students were dissatisfied with either the schools or the programs and quit before graduating. They may also suggest that the teachers were not qualified to teach the curriculum. Request that the schools supply their job placement rates also. If a college has a higher job placement rate, it will help affirm that it has a great or exceptional reputation within the culinary arts field, in addition to a broad network of professional relationships. Be suspicious of any school that will not provide this information.
Location. The culinary college that you choose should be within commuting distance of your Middletown home, unless you can relocate. You may look into attending college online, but you would still need to travel for your externship training. On the other hand, maybe you have chosen to go to a specific culinary school located in another state because of its prominence and programs offered. It would be a good idea to pay a visit to the campus before enrolling, to make certain that you are comfortable with the location and your potential living conditions. Inspect the training facilities in person to make certain they are modern and that the equipment is contemporary. Remember also that a number of schools target their job placement programs within their local communities, so select a location where you will enjoy working.
Class Sizes. The most effective method to learn how to cook is with a lot of personalized training. If the culinary school you enroll in has bigger classes, you will probably receive minimal individual attention from the teachers. The best manner in which to assess the interaction and communication between faculty and students is to attend several 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 receive in class as well as the entire course of training. Also, talk with a couple of the teachers and determine what their teaching philosophies are together with their histories and qualifications.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no point in enrolling in a culinary college if you will not be able to attend the classes. So confirm that the school you pick provides class scheduling that can work with your busy lifestyle. If you can only attend at night or on Saturdays or Sundays near Middletown NY due to your work schedule, make sure that the school you decide on offers either night or weekend classes. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the cooking school has a part-time offering. Also, find out what the make-up policy is if you need to miss a class due to family, work or other responsibilities.
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