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Contrasting Culinary Arts Programs
By now you should have decided on the type of degree that you want to earn, and whether or not you want to enroll in a public or private institute. Since there are numerous culinary arts colleges in the New Castle area and across the Country, you will want to develop a checklist of important qualifiers so that you can begin narrowing down your choices. Certain obvious qualifications, for instance location and cost are a good place to begin. But deciding on a school because it is the nearest or the most affordable is not the optimal way to make a decision regarding your education. There are other variables, such as accreditation and reputation that you must review as well. So below are some key areas that you will need to investigate for each school as you compare them and make your final selection.
Accreditation. It's essential that the cooking program you choose has some form of accreditation from either a regional or a national authority. As previously mentioned, the accrediting organization should be a U.S. Department of Education certified authority, such as the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have successfully completed a detailed evaluation regarding their course of study, instructors and facilities. So not only does accreditation help ensure that you will receive quality training, but it may also assist in obtaining a student loan or financial aid which are frequently not offered for non-accredited schools.
Age. Newer schools generally have the benefit of having modern equipment and facilities. However, they may not have been open long enough to acquire 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 success and earned one or more accreditations. Also, the much more a school has operated, the more graduates the school can reach out to for its job placement program. Naturally there is some give and take dependent on the age of the culinary arts schools. And older, more renowned schools usually update their equipment and facilities. The significant lesson is that in the best case scenario, your chosen school will have an excellent reputation, accreditation and a state-of-the-art facility with modern equipment.
Job Placement Rates. First off, find out what the graduation rates are for the culinary programs you are evaluating. Lower graduation rates are red flags that a number of students were dissatisfied with either the colleges or the courses and quit before graduating. They might also signify that the teachers were not qualified to teach the course of study. Request that the schools supply their job placement rates also. If a college has a higher job placement rate, it will help confirm that it has a good or excellent reputation within the culinary arts field, in addition to a wide network of professional relationships. Be wary of any school that will not furnish this information.
Location. The culinary school that you enroll in should be within driving distance of your New Castle home, unless you can relocate. You may look into attending college online, but you would still need to travel for your externship program. Conversely, maybe you have opted to attend a particular culinary college located in another state because of its prominence 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 area and your prospective living conditions. Inspect the training facilities personally to make sure they are modern and that the equipment is contemporary. Keep in mind also that a number of schools target their job placement programs within their regional communities, so select a location where you will be happy working.
Class Sizes. The most effective approach to learn how to cook is with plenty of one-on-one training. If the cooking program you enroll in has large classes, you will undoubtedly receive little individual attention from the teachers. The optimal manner in which to evaluate the interaction between teachers and students is to sit in on a few of the classes. Ask a couple of the students what their experience has been. Ascertain if they are pleased with the amount of attention they receive in class as well as the entire course of training. Also, speak with some of the instructors and find out what their teaching approaches are along with their histories and qualifications.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no benefit to in enrolling in a culinary college if you will be unable to attend the classes. So confirm that the school you pick provides class scheduling that can accommodate your active lifestyle. If you can only attend in the evening or on Saturdays or Sundays near New Castle NY because of your work schedule, make sure that the school you choose offers either weekend or evening classes. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, verify that the culinary institute has a part-time alternative. Also, find out what the make-up policy is if you have to miss a class as a result of work, family or other obligations.
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