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Evaluating Culinary Programs
At this point you should have decided on the type of degree that you wish to attain, and if you would like to enroll in a public or private college. Since there are numerous culinary arts programs in the Queensbury area and across the USA, you will want to create a checklist of essential qualifiers so that you can start narrowing down your options. Some obvious qualifications, for instance location and cost are a good place to begin. But choosing a school because it is the closest or the most affordable is not the best way to make a decision regarding your education. There are other criteria, for instance reputation and accreditation that you should assess also. Therefore, below are some critical areas that you must research for each school as you compare and contrast them and make your ultimate decision.
Accreditation. It's imperative that the culinary institute you pick has some type of accreditation from either a regional or a national authority. As previously mentioned, the accrediting agency should be a U.S. Department of Education recognized agency, for instance the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have successfully completed a detailed assessment relating to their course of study, teachers and facilities. So not only does accreditation help ensure that you will receive quality training, but it may also assist in obtaining a student loan or financial assistance which are generally not available for non-accredited schools.
Age. Newer schools frequently have the advantage of possessing 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, dated equipment, but have established a lengthy history of excellence and obtained one or more accreditations. Also, the longer a school has been in business, the more graduates the school can solicit for its job assistance program. Certainly there is some give and take based on the age of the culinary arts schools. And older, more reputable schools usually update their equipment and facilities. The important lesson is that in the best case scenario, your chosen school will have an outstanding reputation, accreditation and a state-of-the-art facility with modern equipment.
Job Placement Rates. First, find out what the graduation rates are for the culinary arts programs you are evaluating. Lower graduation rates are indicators that many students were unhappy with either the colleges or the training 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 school has a high job placement rate, it will help verify that it has a good or exceptional reputation within the cooking community, as well as a wide network of professional contacts. Watch out for any school that will not furnish this information.
Location. The cooking institute that you enroll in must be within driving distance of your Queensbury home, unless you have decided to relocate. You may look into attending classes online, but you would still have to travel for your externship training. Conversely, maybe you have decided to go to a particular culinary arts institute located in another state because of its ranking and courses offered. It would be a good idea to visit the facility before enrolling, to make sure that you are comfortable with the location and your prospective living conditions. Look over the training facilities in person to make sure they are modern and that the equipment is state of the art. Consider also that many schools concentrate 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 a lot of one-on-one instruction. If the culinary arts institute you enroll in has bigger classes, you will probably receive limited individual attention from the instructors. The best manner in which to evaluate the interaction between instructors and students is to audit several of the classes. Ask some 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 several of the instructors and determine what their teaching styles are together with their experiences and qualifications.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no sense in enrolling in a cooking college if you will be unable to attend the classes. So make certain that the school you pick has available class scheduling that can fit in with your active lifestyle. If you can only attend at night or on weekends near Queensbury NY because of your job schedule, confirm that the school you decide on offers either weekend or night classes. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the cooking program has a part-time offering. Also, ask what the make-up policy is if you have to miss a class due to work, family or other commitments.
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