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Comparing Culinary Colleges
At this point you should have decided on the type of degree that you wish to earn, and whether or not you want to enroll in a public or private college. Since there are numerous culinary arts programs in the New Rochelle area and across the United States, you will want to create a checklist of important qualifications so that you can begin narrowing your choices. A few obvious qualifications, for instance location and cost are a good place to start. But picking a school because it is the nearest or the most affordable is not the best way to make a decision regarding your education. There are other considerations, such as reputation and accreditation that you need to evaluate also. Therefore, following are some critical areas that you must research for every school as you compare them and make your final choice.
Accreditation. It's imperative that the culinary arts college you choose has some form of accreditation from either a regional or a national authority. As previously stated, the accrediting organization should be a U.S. Department of Education certified agency, for example the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have passed a comprehensive review regarding their course of study, instructors and facilities. So not only does accreditation help confirm that you will receive exceptional training, but it may also assist in acquiring a student loan or financial aid which are often not available for non-accredited schools.
Age. Recently established schools frequently have the benefit of having modern facilities and equipment. However, they may not have been operating long enough to acquire an accreditation or to establish a reputation. Conversely, more established schools may still be using their original, dated equipment, but have established a long track record of success and received one or more accreditations. Also, the much more a school has been in operation, the more graduates the school can reach out to 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 commonly modernize their facilities and equipment. The valuable 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 modern equipment.
Job Placement Rates. First, ask what the graduation rates are for the culinary arts schools you are examining. Low graduation rates are indications that a number of students were dissatisfied with either the institutes or the training and dropped out. They might also suggest that the teachers were not competent to teach the course of study. Request that the schools furnish their job placement rates also. If a college has a high job placement rate, it will help confirm that it has a good or excellent reputation within the culinary field, as well as a wide network of professional connections. Watch out for any school that will not provide this information.
Location. The cooking college that you choose should be within commuting distance of your New Rochelle residence, unless you are willing to relocate. 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 enroll in a specific culinary arts institute located in a different state due to its reputation and programs offered. It would be a wise decision to check out the campus before enrolling, to make sure that you are comfortable with the location and your prospective living conditions. Look over the training facilities personally to make sure they are up to date and that the equipment is state of the art. Keep in mind also that many schools target their job placement programs within their regional communities, so select a location where you will satisfied working.
Class Sizes. The ideal way to learn how to cook is with lots of one-on-one training. If the cooking program you enroll in has large classes, you will probably receive limited individual attention from the instructors. The optimal manner in which to assess the communication and interaction between instructors and students is to attend a few of the classes. Ask some of the students what their experience has been. Ascertain if they are satisfied with the level of attention they receive in class in addition to the overall training. Also, talk with several of the teachers and find out what their teaching philosophies are together with their experiences and credentials.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no sense in enrolling in a culinary arts school if you will be unable to attend the classes. Therefore make sure that the school you pick has available class scheduling that can accommodate your busy lifestyle. If you can only attend in the evening or on Saturdays or Sundays near New Rochelle NY because of your job schedule, make sure that the school you select offers either weekend or night classes. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the culinary arts program has a part-time offering. Also, find out what the make-up policy is if you must miss a class as a result of work, family or other responsibilities.
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