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Comparing Cooking Programs
At this point you should have decided on the type of degree that you wish to attain, and whether or not you would like to enroll in a private or a public school. Since there are numerous culinary arts institutions in the Queens area and across the Country, you must develop a checklist of essential qualifiers so that you can start narrowing your options. A few obvious qualifiers, such as cost and location are a good place to start. But picking a school because it is the closest or the most affordable is not the best way to decide on your education. There are other factors, including accreditation and reputation that you need to assess as well. Therefore, following are some critical areas that you need to investigate for every school as you compare them and make your final decision.
Accreditation. It's essential that the culinary arts institute you pick has some type of accreditation from either a regional or a national organization. As previously stated, the accrediting authority should be a U.S. Department of Education recognized organization, such as the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have passed a comprehensive review regarding their curriculum, teachers and facilities. So not only does accreditation help ensure that you will receive exceptional training, but it can also assist in securing a student loan or financial aid which are generally not accessible for non-accredited schools.
Age. Newer schools generally have the benefit of having modern facilities and equipment. However, they may not have been in operation long enough to earn an accreditation or to cultivate a reputation. On the other hand, older schools may still be using their original, outdated equipment, but have established a long track record of success and received one or more accreditations.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 assistance program. Naturally there is some give and take dependent on the age of the cooking schools. And older, more renowned schools usually update their facilities and equipment. The valuable lesson is that in the best case scenario, your school of choice will have an exceptional reputation, accreditation and a state-of-the-art facility with newer equipment.
Job Placement Rates. First, ask what the graduation rates are for the cooking colleges you are evaluating. Lower graduation rates are indicators that numerous students were unhappy with either the institutes or the courses and dropped out. They may 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 college 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 large network of professional associations. Be wary of any school that will not supply this information.
Location. The culinary college that you attend should be within driving distance of your Queens residence, unless you have decided to move. You may look into attending classes online, but you would still need to travel for your externship program. Alternatively, perhaps you have opted to go to a particular culinary college located in a different state because of its reputation and programs offered. It would be a wise decision to check out the facility before enrolling, to make certain that you are comfortable with the location and your future living conditions. Look over the training facilities personally to make sure they are modern and that the equipment is contemporary. Keep in mind also that some schools target their job placement programs within their regional communities, so choose a location where you will be happy working.
Class Sizes. The best method to learn how to cook is with lots of one-on-one training. If the cooking institute you enroll in has larger classes, you will most likely get limited personal attention from the teachers. The best way to evaluate the communication and interaction between faculty and students is to audit a few of the classes. Ask a couple of the students what their experience has been. Find out if they are pleased with the amount of attention they receive in class in addition to the entire course of training. Also, speak with some of the instructors and learn what their teaching approaches are as well as their experiences and qualifications.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no benefit to in enrolling in a culinary college if you will not be able to attend the classes. Therefore make sure 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 Queens NY because of your work schedule, confirm that the school you pick offers either night or weekend classes. If you can only attend part-time, verify that the culinary program has a part-time option. Also, ask what the make-up protocol is if you have to miss a class because of work, family or other responsibilities.
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