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Evaluating Culinary Institutes
By now you should have decided on the type of degree that you want to attain, and whether or not you want to enroll in a public or private institute. Since there are numerous culinary colleges in the Queens Village area and across the USA, you will want to develop a checklist of important qualifiers so that you can start narrowing down your choices. A few obvious qualifications, including location and cost are a good place to begin. But picking a school because it is the closest or the cheapest is not the best way to decide on your education. There are other criteria, for example accreditation and reputation that you need to review also. So following are some crucial areas that you need to investigate for every school as you compare them and make your final decision.
Accreditation. It's important that the cooking program you pick has some form of accreditation from either a regional or a national authority. As previously stated, the accrediting agency should be a U.S. Department of Education certified organization, such as the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have passed a comprehensive evaluation pertaining to their curriculum, instructors and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help ensure that you will receive exceptional training, but it may also assist in obtaining a student loan or financial aid which are often not offered for non-accredited schools.
Age. Newer schools often have the benefit of possessing modern equipment and facilities. However, they may not have been in operation long enough to earn an accreditation or to develop a reputation. On the other hand, older schools may still be using their original, outdated equipment, but have established a long track record of excellence and earned one or more accreditations.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 much more a school has been in operation, the more graduates the school can solicit for its job placement program. Naturally there is some give and take based on the age of the culinary arts schools. And older, more renowned schools usually modernize their equipment and facilities. The valuable takeaway is that in the best case scenario, your chosen school will have an excellent reputation, accreditation and a modern facility with newer equipment.
Job Placement Rates. First off, ask what the graduation rates are for the culinary programs you are evaluating. Low graduation rates are indicators that a number of students were dissatisfied with either the institutes or the training and dropped out. They might 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 verify that it has a great or outstanding reputation within the culinary arts community, as well as a wide network of professional contacts. Be wary of any school that will not furnish this information.
Location. The cooking institute that you enroll in must be within commuting distance of your Queens Village residence, unless you have decided to relocate. You may consider attending classes online, but you would still need to travel for your externship training. Conversely, perhaps you have opted to enroll in a specific culinary school located in a different state due to its reputation and courses offered. It would be a good idea to check out the facility before enrolling, to make sure that you are comfortable with the area and your prospective living conditions. Tour the training facilities in person to make sure they are up to date and that the equipment is state of the art. Consider also that a number of schools target their job assistance programs within their regional communities, so choose a location where you will be happy working.
Class Sizes. The most effective way to learn how to cook is with lots of one-on-one instruction. If the culinary arts institute you enroll in has large classes, you will undoubtedly receive limited personal attention from the teachers. The ideal manner in which to assess the interaction between teachers and students is to sit in on a few of the classes. Ask some of the students what their experience has been. Ascertain if they are satisfied with the amount of attention they get in class in addition to the overall training. Also, talk with a few of the teachers and determine what their teaching approaches are together with their experiences and credentials.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no sense in enrolling in a culinary program if you will be unable to attend the classes. Therefore confirm that the school you decide on provides class scheduling that will work with your busy lifestyle. If you can only attend at night or on Saturdays or Sundays near Queens Village NY because of your job schedule, check that the school you select offers either weekend or evening classes. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, verify that the culinary institute 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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