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Comparing Culinary Institutions
By now you should have made a decision regarding the type of degree that you wish to attain, and if you want to enroll in a private or a public school. Since there a large number of culinary programs in the North Valley Stream area and within the Country, you must develop a checklist of important qualifiers so that you can start narrowing down your choices. Some obvious qualifiers, for instance cost and location are an excellent place to begin. 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 criteria, including reputation and accreditation that you need to assess also. So following are some crucial areas that you need to research for every school as you compare them and make your ultimate decision.
Accreditation. It's imperative that the culinary arts school you choose has some type of accreditation from either a local or a national organization. As previously mentioned, the accrediting organization should be a U.S. Department of Education certified authority, for example the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have successfully completed a thorough assessment regarding their course of study, instructors and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help ensure that you will receive excellent training, but it may also assist in acquiring a student loan or financial aid which are frequently not offered for non-accredited schools.
Age. Recently established schools generally have the benefit of having modern facilities and equipment. However, they may not have been operating long enough to earn an accreditation or to establish a reputation. On the other hand, older schools may still be using their original, dated equipment, but have established a long track record of success and acquired one or more accreditations. Also, the much more a school has operated, the more alumni the school can reach out to for its job placement program. Naturally there is some give and take based on the age of the culinary schools. And older, more reputable schools usually update their facilities and equipment. The valuable lesson is that in the best case scenario, your selected school will have an excellent reputation, accreditation and a modern facility with newer equipment.
Job Placement Rates. First, find out what the graduation rates are for the culinary arts schools you are evaluating. Lower graduation rates are signs that a number of students were dissatisfied with either the schools or the courses and quit before graduating. They may also suggest that the teachers were not qualified to teach the course of study. Ask the schools to furnish their job placement rates also. If a college has a high job placement rate, it will help validate that it has a great or exceptional reputation within the culinary arts field, in addition to a large network of professional connections. Be skeptical of any school that will not provide this information.
Location. The culinary school that you attend must be within driving distance of your North Valley Stream home, unless you have decided to relocate. You may think about attending college online, but you would still need to travel for your externship training. Alternatively, maybe you have opted to enroll in a particular culinary school located in another state due to its prominence and programs offered. It would be a good idea to pay a visit to the facility before enrolling, to make sure that you are comfortable with the location and your potential living conditions. Check the training facilities personally to make sure they are up to date and that the equipment is contemporary. Consider also that some schools concentrate their job placement programs within their local communities, so select a location where you will enjoy working.
Class Sizes. The ideal way to learn how to cook is with lots of personalized instruction. If the cooking school you enroll in has large classes, you will undoubtedly receive minimal personal attention from the teachers. The best manner in which to assess the interaction between faculty and students is to attend some of the classes. Ask some 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 entire course of training. Also, speak with a few of the teachers and find out what their teaching styles are together with their experiences and credentials.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no sense in enrolling in a culinary arts program if you will not be able to attend the classes. So confirm that the school you pick provides class scheduling that will fit in with your busy lifestyle. If you can only attend in the evening or on weekends near North Valley Stream NY because of your job schedule, check that the school you pick offers either night or weekend classes. If you can only attend part-time, check that the culinary arts institute has a part-time offering. Also, find out what the make-up protocol is if you need to miss a class because of work, family or other commitments.
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