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Evaluating Cooking Programs
At this point you should have made a decision regarding the type of degree that you plan to earn, and if you want to enroll in a private or a public institution. Since there are numerous cooking colleges in the Rochester area and across the USA, you must create a checklist of important qualifiers so that you can start limiting your options. A few obvious qualifiers, including cost and location are an excellent place to begin. But picking a school because it is the closest or the most affordable is not the optimal way to decide on your education. There are other criteria, such as accreditation and reputation that you should assess as well. So below are some crucial areas that you need to research for every school as you compare them and make your final selection.
Accreditation. It's very important that the culinary institute you choose has some form of accreditation from either a local or a national organization. As previously stated, the accrediting agency should be a U.S. Department of Education certified agency, such as the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have passed a detailed review pertaining to their curriculum, teachers and facilities. So not only does accreditation help ascertain that you will receive excellent training, but it may also assist in acquiring a student loan or financial assistance which are frequently not accessible for non-accredited schools.
Age. Recently established schools frequently have the advantage of possessing modern equipment and facilities. However, they may not have been open long enough to garner an accreditation or to develop a reputation. Conversely, more established schools may still be using their original, outdated equipment, but have established a lengthy track record of success and received one or more accreditations. Also, the much more a school has been in business, the more alumni the school can solicit for its job placement program. Certainly there is some give and take dependent on the age of the culinary arts schools. And older, more renowned schools usually update their equipment and facilities. The important lesson is that in the best case scenario, your selected school will have an outstanding reputation, accreditation and a state-of-the-art facility with newer equipment.
Job Placement Rates. To begin with, ask what the graduation rates are for the culinary schools you are evaluating. Low graduation rates are indications that many students were unhappy with either the institutes or the programs and dropped out. They may also signify that the instructors were not qualified to teach the course of study. Request that the schools furnish their job placement rates also. If a school has a higher job placement rate, it will help confirm that it has a good or outstanding reputation within the culinary field, as well as a broad network of professional connections. Be wary of any school that will not provide this information.
Location. The culinary institute that you choose must be within commuting distance of your Rochester residence, unless you are willing to relocate. You may consider attending college online, but you would still need to travel for your externship training. Alternatively, maybe you have opted to go to a particular culinary school located in another state because of its prominence and courses offered. It would be a good idea to visit the campus before enrolling, to make certain that you are comfortable with the area and your potential living conditions. Look over the training facilities personally to make sure they are modern and that the equipment is state of the art. Consider also that a number of schools concentrate their job assistance programs within their regional communities, so select a location where you will satisfied working.
Class Sizes. The ideal method to learn how to cook is with lots of one-on-one instruction. If the cooking institute you enroll in has bigger classes, you will most likely receive little personal attention from the instructors. The optimal manner in which to evaluate the interaction and communication between instructors 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 level of attention they get in class as well as the entire course of training. Also, speak with a few of the teachers and determine what their teaching philosophies are as well as their backgrounds and credentials.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no sense in enrolling in a culinary institute if you will not be able to attend the classes. Therefore make certain that the school you decide on offers class scheduling that can accommodate your hectic lifestyle. If you can only attend in the evening or on weekends near Rochester NY because of your work schedule, make certain that the school you pick offers either weekend or evening classes. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, confirm that the culinary arts school has a part-time alternative. Also, find out what the make-up policy is if you need to miss a class due to family, work or other commitments.
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