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Contrasting Culinary Programs
At this point you should have made a decision regarding the type of degree that you wish to attain, and whether or not you want to enroll in a public or private school. Since there are numerous cooking schools in the New Windsor area and across the Country, you need to create a checklist of important qualifications so that you can begin limiting your options. Certain obvious qualifications, such as cost and location are an excellent place to begin. But selecting a school because it is the closest or the least expensive is not the best way to make a decision regarding your education. There are other variables, including accreditation and reputation that you need to evaluate as well. So below are some key areas that you will need to research for each school as you compare them and make your final decision.
Accreditation. It's important that the culinary arts school you pick has some type of accreditation from either a local or a national organization. As previously stated, the accrediting organization should be a U.S. Department of Education recognized agency, for example the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have passed a comprehensive review pertaining to their course of study, teachers and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help ascertain that you will receive quality training, but it may also assist in obtaining a student loan or financial aid which are often not available for non-accredited schools.
Age. Recently established schools generally have the advantage of having modern equipment and facilities. However, they may not have been open long enough to acquire an accreditation or to establish a reputation. Conversely, older schools may still be using their original, outdated equipment, but have established a sustained history of excellence and obtained one or more accreditations. Also, the longer a school has been in business, the more graduates 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 reputable schools commonly modernize their equipment and facilities. The valuable lesson is that in the best case scenario, your school of choice 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 arts colleges you are reviewing. Lower graduation rates are red flags that a number of students were unhappy with either the schools or the programs and dropped out. They might also suggest that the teachers were not competent to teach the curriculum. Request that the schools furnish their job placement rates as well. If a school has a high job placement rate, it will help validate that it has a good or excellent reputation within the culinary arts field, in addition to a large network of professional connections. Be skeptical of any school that will not supply this information.
Location. The cooking institute that you enroll in should be within driving distance of your New Windsor home, unless you can move. You may look into attending school online, but you would still need to travel for your externship training. Alternatively, perhaps you have decided to attend a particular culinary arts school located in a different state due to its reputation and programs offered. It would be a wise decision to check out the facility before enrolling, to make sure that you are satisfied with the location and your prospective living conditions. Look over the training facilities in person to make sure they are up to date and that the equipment is state of the art. Remember also that some schools target their job placement programs within their local communities, so select a location where you will satisfied working.
Class Sizes. The ideal way to learn how to cook is with plenty of personalized training. If the cooking school you enroll in has larger classes, you will undoubtedly receive little individual attention from the instructors. The ideal way to assess the interaction and communication between instructors and students is to sit in on a few of the classes. Ask some of the students what their experience has been. Find out if they are happy with the amount of attention they get in class as well as the entire course of training. Also, talk with a couple of the instructors and find out what their teaching approaches are as well as their experiences and credentials.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no sense in enrolling in a culinary arts college if you will be unable to attend the classes. Therefore confirm that the school you choose provides class scheduling that can accommodate your hectic lifestyle. If you can only attend in the evening or on Saturdays or Sundays near New Windsor NY due to your job schedule, verify that the school you pick offers either night or weekend classes. If you can only attend part-time, verify that the cooking program has a part-time option. Also, check to see what the make-up policy is if you need to miss a class due to work, family or other commitments.
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