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Comparing Cooking Institutes
At this point you should have decided on the type of degree that you want to earn, and whether or not you want to enroll in a private or a public school. Since there are numerous culinary schools in the New York area and across the USA, you will want to create a checklist of important qualifications so that you can start narrowing down your choices. Some obvious qualifiers, such as cost and location are a good place to begin. But selecting 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 factors, such as reputation and accreditation that you need to assess as well. So below are some critical areas that you need to investigate for every school as you compare them and make your final choice.
Accreditation. It's important that the cooking program you select has some form of accreditation from either a local or a national organization. As mentioned previously, the accrediting agency should be a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged authority, for instance the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have successfully completed a thorough review regarding their course of study, teachers and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help ensure that you will receive excellent training, but it may also help in obtaining a student loan or financial assistance which are frequently not available for non-accredited schools.
Age. Newer schools generally have the advantage of having modern equipment and facilities. However, they may not have been open long enough to earn an accreditation or to establish a reputation. On the other hand, older schools may still be using their original, outdated equipment, but have established a lengthy track record of excellence and received one or more accreditations. Also, the longer a school has been in operation, the more graduates the school can solicit for its job placement program. Obviously there is some give and take based on the age of the culinary arts schools. And older, more reputable schools commonly modernize their facilities and equipment. The significant takeaway is that in the best case scenario, your chosen school will have an excellent reputation, accreditation and a modern facility with modern equipment.
Job Placement Rates. First off, find out what the graduation rates are for the cooking colleges you are examining. 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 can also indicate that the instructors 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 affirm that it has a great or outstanding reputation within the cooking field, in addition to a large network of professional relationships. Watch out for any school that will not supply this information.
Location. The culinary arts college that you enroll in should be within commuting distance of your New York residence, unless you are able to move. You may consider attending college online, but you would still need to travel for your externship program. Alternatively, perhaps you have chosen to enroll in a particular culinary school located in a different state because of its reputation and programs offered. It would be a good idea to check out the facility before enrolling, to make certain that you are comfortable with the location and your prospective living conditions. Check the training facilities in person to make certain they are up to date and that the equipment is contemporary. Consider also that a number of schools focus their job placement programs within their local communities, so pick a location where you will satisfied working.
Class Sizes. The most effective method to learn how to cook is with a lot of personalized instruction. If the culinary arts school you enroll in has bigger classes, you will probably receive limited personal attention from the instructors. The best way to evaluate the interaction between teachers and students is to attend several of the classes. Ask a couple of the students what their experience has been. Find out if they are pleased with the level of attention they receive in class as well as the entire course of training. Also, speak with some of the teachers and learn what their teaching styles are as well as their histories and credentials.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no benefit to in enrolling in a culinary arts college if you will be unable to attend the classes. Therefore make certain that the school you decide on offers class scheduling that can fit in with your busy lifestyle. If you can only attend in the evening or on Saturdays or Sundays near New York 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 school has a part-time alternative. Also, check to see what the make-up protocol is if you need to miss a class as a result of work, family or other commitments.
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