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Evaluating Culinary Institutions
At this point you should have decided on the type of degree that you plan to earn, and if you want to enroll in a private or a public institute. Since there are numerous cooking institutions in the Rome area and across the USA, you need to develop a checklist of essential qualifiers so that you can start narrowing your options. Some obvious qualifiers, such as cost and location are a good place to begin. 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 variables, for example accreditation and reputation that you should assess also. Therefore, below are some key areas that you must investigate for each school as you compare them and make your final choice.
Accreditation. It's imperative that the culinary arts school you pick has some type of accreditation from either a regional or a national authority. As mentioned previously, the accrediting organization should be a U.S. Department of Education recognized agency, for instance the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have successfully completed a thorough review relating to their curriculum, teachers and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help ensure that you will receive quality training, but it can also assist in securing a student loan or financial aid which are often not accessible for non-accredited schools.
Age. Newer schools frequently have the advantage of possessing modern equipment and facilities. However, they may not have been operating 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 Conversely, older schools may still be using their original, outdated equipment, but have established a lengthy track record of excellence and earned one or more accreditations. Also, the much more a school has been in operation, the more alumni the school can reach out to for its job assistance program. Certainly there is some give and take based on the age of the culinary schools. And older, more renowned schools typically update their facilities and equipment. The important lesson is that in the best case scenario, your selected school will have an excellent reputation, accreditation and a modern facility with modern equipment.
Job Placement Rates. To begin with, ask what the graduation rates are for the cooking institutions you are looking at. Lower graduation rates are signs that a number of students were dissatisfied with either the schools or the courses and quit before graduating. They can also indicate that the teachers were not competent to teach the course of study. Ask the schools to supply their job placement rates as well. If a college has a high job placement rate, it will help affirm that it has a good or exceptional reputation within the culinary arts community, as well as a large network of professional associations. Be skeptical of any school that will not supply this information.
Location. The culinary college that you attend should be within driving distance of your Rome residence, unless you can move. You may look into attending school online, but you would still need to travel for your externship program. On the other hand, maybe you have decided to go to a specific culinary college located in a different state due to its prominence and programs offered. It would be a good idea to check out the facility before enrolling, to make sure that you are comfortable with the location 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 some schools concentrate their job assistance programs within their regional communities, so choose a location where you will be happy working.
Class Sizes. The ideal method to learn how to cook is with lots of one-on-one training. If the culinary arts institute you enroll in has bigger classes, you will most likely receive little personal attention from the instructors. The ideal manner in which to evaluate the interaction and communication between faculty and students is to sit in on several of the classes. Ask some of the students what their experience has been. Find out if they are satisfied with the level of attention they get in class in addition to the entire course of training. Also, speak with a couple of the instructors and learn what their teaching styles are as well as their histories and credentials.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no point in enrolling in a culinary arts program if you will not be able to attend the classes. Therefore make sure that the school you choose has available class scheduling that will accommodate your busy lifestyle. If you can only attend in the evening or on weekends near Rome NY due to your job schedule, verify that the school you pick offers either weekend or night classes. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, verify that the cooking school has a part-time option. Also, ask what the make-up policy is if you must miss a class because of family, work or other commitments.
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