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Contrasting Culinary Institutions
At this point you should have made a decision regarding the type of degree that you wish to earn, and whether or not you want to enroll in a private or a public college. Since there a large number of cooking colleges in the Nanuet area and within the USA, you will want to create a checklist of important qualifications so that you can start limiting your choices. A few obvious qualifications, for instance cost and location are an excellent place to begin. But deciding on a school because it is the nearest or the least expensive is not the best way to make a decision regarding your education. There are other considerations, including reputation and accreditation that you should assess also. Therefore, following are some crucial areas that you must investigate for each school as you compare and contrast them and make your final decision.
Accreditation. It's essential that the culinary arts school you decide on 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 organization, for example the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have passed a comprehensive assessment pertaining to their course of study, teachers and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help establish that you will receive quality training, but it may also assist in obtaining a student loan or financial aid which are often not accessible for non-accredited schools.
Age. Newer schools frequently have the benefit of possessing modern equipment and facilities. However, they may not have been in operation long enough to earn an accreditation or to establish a reputation. On the other hand, more established schools may still be using their original, dated equipment, but have established a sustained track record of excellence and acquired one or more accreditations. Also, the much more a school has operated, 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 culinary schools. And older, more renowned schools typically update their facilities and equipment. The important lesson is that in the best case scenario, your school of choice will have an outstanding 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 arts programs you are examining. Lower graduation rates are red flags that a number of students were dissatisfied with either the colleges or the programs and quit before graduating. They may also suggest that the teachers were not competent to teach the course of study. Request that the schools supply their job placement rates as well. If a school has a higher job placement rate, it will help validate that it has a good or exceptional reputation within the cooking field, in addition to a wide network of professional connections. Watch out for any school that will not provide this information.
Location. The culinary college that you attend must be within commuting distance of your Nanuet home, unless you have decided to move. You may consider attending school online, but you would still have to travel for your externship training. On the other hand, maybe you have decided to go to a specific culinary arts institute located in a different state because of its prominence and programs offered. It would be a wise decision to check out the facility before enrolling, to make certain that you are comfortable with the area and your prospective living conditions. Inspect the training facilities in person to make sure they are modern and that the equipment is state of the art. Consider also that some schools focus their job assistance programs within their regional communities, so choose a location where you will enjoy working.
Class Sizes. The best way to learn how to cook is with a lot of personalized instruction. If the culinary program you enroll in has larger classes, you will undoubtedly get minimal personal attention from the teachers. The best way to evaluate the communication and interaction between instructors and students is to sit in on several of the classes. Ask a couple of the students what their experience has been. Ascertain if they are happy with the amount of attention they get in class as well as the overall training. Also, talk with a few of the instructors and learn what their teaching approaches are along with their backgrounds 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 confirm that the school you choose offers class scheduling that will accommodate your hectic lifestyle. If you can only attend at night or on weekends near Nanuet NY due to your work schedule, make sure that the school you decide on offers either weekend or night classes. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the culinary arts institute has a part-time offering. Also, find out what the make-up protocol is if you have to miss a class due to family, work or other obligations.
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