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Evaluating Cooking Programs
By now you should have made a decision regarding the type of degree that you plan to earn, and whether or not you want to enroll in a private or a public school. Since there are numerous culinary arts institutions in the Mott Haven area and across the United States, you need to create a checklist of important qualifications so that you can begin limiting your choices. A few obvious qualifiers, for example location and cost are a good place to start. But choosing a school because it is the closest or the least expensive is not the optimal way to make a decision regarding your education. There are other variables, such as reputation and accreditation that you should review as well. So below are some crucial areas that you will need to research for each school as you compare and contrast them and make your final decision.
Accreditation. It's important that the cooking program you choose has some type of accreditation from either a local or a national authority. As previously mentioned, the accrediting authority should be a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged authority, such as the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have successfully completed a thorough assessment pertaining to their course of study, teachers and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help ascertain that you will receive quality training, but it can also help in acquiring a student loan or financial assistance which are generally not accessible for non-accredited schools.
Age. Newer schools often have the benefit of having modern equipment and facilities. However, they may not have been open long enough to acquire an accreditation or to develop a reputation. Conversely, older schools may still be using their original, dated equipment, but have established a long 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 solicit for its job assistance program. Naturally there is some give and take dependent on the age of the cooking schools. And older, more highly regarded schools usually update their facilities and equipment. The valuable lesson is that in the best case scenario, your school of choice will have an excellent reputation, accreditation and a state-of-the-art facility with modern equipment.
Job Placement Rates. First off, ask what the graduation rates are for the cooking institutes you are assessing. Low graduation rates are indicators that numerous students were dissatisfied with either the schools or the programs and dropped out. They can also signify that the teachers were not competent to teach the curriculum. Request that the schools provide their job placement rates as well. If a school has a higher job placement rate, it will help verify that it has a good or exceptional reputation within the cooking community, in addition to a large network of professional associations. Be skeptical of any school that will not furnish this information.
Location. The culinary institute that you attend must be within commuting distance of your Mott Haven residence, unless you are willing to move. You may look into attending classes online, but you would still have to travel for your externship program. Alternatively, maybe you have decided to go to a specific culinary arts institute located in another state because of its reputation and programs offered. It would be a good idea to visit the facility before enrolling, to make certain that you are comfortable with the location and your future living conditions. Inspect the training facilities in person to make certain they are modern and that the equipment is state of the art. Keep in mind also that a number of schools target their job placement programs within their local communities, so pick a location where you will enjoy working.
Class Sizes. The best approach to learn how to cook is with lots of personalized training. If the culinary arts college you enroll in has larger classes, you will most likely get limited individual attention from the instructors. The best means to assess the interaction and communication between faculty and students is to attend a few of the classes. Ask some of the students what their experience has been. Find out if they are satisfied with the amount of attention they receive in class in addition to the entire course of training. Also, talk with a couple of the instructors and determine what their teaching styles are along with their histories and qualifications.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no point in enrolling in a cooking program if you will not be able to attend the classes. So make sure that the school you pick offers class scheduling that can work with your busy lifestyle. If you can only attend at night or on weekends near Mott Haven NY because of your job schedule, confirm that the school you decide on offers either night or weekend classes. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the culinary arts institute has a part-time option. Also, find out what the make-up protocol is if you have to miss a class as a result of family, work or other responsibilities.
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