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Evaluating Culinary Arts Programs
At this point you should have decided on the type of degree that you plan to attain, and whether or not you want to enroll in a public or private institute. Since there a large number of cooking colleges in the Ozone Park area and within the USA, you will want to create a checklist of essential qualifiers so that you can start narrowing down your choices. Some obvious qualifiers, including location and cost are a good place to start. But deciding on a school because it is the nearest or the least expensive is not the optimal way to make a decision regarding your education. There are other considerations, for example reputation and accreditation that you should assess also. So below are some key areas that you must investigate for each school as you compare and contrast them and make your ultimate decision.
Accreditation. It's essential that the culinary institute you select has some type of accreditation from either a regional or a national organization. As previously mentioned, the accrediting agency should be a U.S. Department of Education recognized organization, for instance the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have successfully completed a comprehensive assessment relating to their curriculum, instructors and facilities. So not only does accreditation help confirm that you will receive exceptional training, but it may also help in acquiring a student loan or financial aid which are often not accessible for non-accredited schools.
Age. Newer schools generally have the advantage of having modern equipment and facilities. However, they may not have been in operation long enough to garner an accreditation or to cultivate a reputation. Conversely, older schools may still be using their original, outdated equipment, but have established a long track record of excellence and earned one or more accreditations. Also, the longer a school has been in operation, the more graduates the school can solicit for its job assistance program. Certainly there is some give and take dependent on the age of the cooking schools. And older, more reputable schools usually update their facilities and equipment. The important takeaway is that in the best case scenario, your selected school will have an exceptional reputation, accreditation and a modern facility with modern equipment.
Job Placement Rates. First off, ask what the graduation rates are for the culinary arts colleges you are reviewing. Lower graduation rates are signs that a number of students were dissatisfied with either the colleges or the training and dropped out. They can also signify that the teachers were not qualified to teach the course of study. Ask the schools to furnish their job placement rates also. If a school has a higher job placement rate, it will help validate that it has a good or outstanding reputation within the culinary community, in addition to a wide network of professional contacts. Be wary of any school that will not supply this information.
Location. The culinary arts college that you choose should be within commuting distance of your Ozone Park home, unless you can relocate. You may think about attending classes online, but you would still need to travel for your externship training. Conversely, maybe you have decided to go to a particular culinary arts school located in a different state due to its ranking and courses offered. It would be a wise decision to pay a visit to the campus before enrolling, to make sure that you are satisfied with the area and your future living conditions. Inspect the training facilities in person to make sure they are modern and that the equipment is state of the art. Keep in mind also that many schools focus their job assistance programs within their regional communities, so select a location where you will satisfied working.
Class Sizes. The most effective approach to learn how to cook is with plenty of one-on-one instruction. If the culinary program you enroll in has large classes, you will probably receive little personal attention from the teachers. The ideal means to evaluate the communication and interaction between faculty and students is to audit some of the classes. Ask some of the students what their experience has been. Ascertain if they are happy with the level of attention they get 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 as well as their backgrounds and credentials.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no point in enrolling in a culinary arts college if you will not be able to attend the classes. Therefore confirm that the school you choose has available class scheduling that can fit in with your hectic lifestyle. If you can only attend at night or on Saturdays or Sundays near Ozone Park NY because of your job schedule, confirm that the school you select offers either night or weekend classes. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the cooking institute has a part-time offering. Also, ask what the make-up policy is if you have to miss a class as a result of family, work or other obligations.
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