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Evaluating Culinary Arts Programs
At this point you should have made a decision regarding the type of degree that you plan to attain, and whether or not you want to enroll in a public or private institute. Since there are numerous cooking colleges in the Saratoga Springs area and across the Country, you need to develop a checklist of essential qualifications so that you can start limiting your choices. Certain obvious qualifiers, for instance location and cost are a good place to start. But picking a school because it is the nearest or the least expensive is not the ideal way to make a decision regarding your education. There are other criteria, for instance reputation and accreditation that you must evaluate as well. So below are some critical areas that you should investigate for every school as you compare them and make your ultimate decision.
Accreditation. It's very important that the culinary arts school you decide on has some type of accreditation from either a local or a national agency. As aforementioned, the accrediting organization should be a U.S. Department of Education recognized authority, for example the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have passed a thorough evaluation pertaining to their curriculum, teachers and facilities. So not only does accreditation help ascertain that you will receive quality training, but it may also assist in acquiring a student loan or financial assistance which are generally not accessible for non-accredited schools.
Age. Newer schools frequently have the advantage of having modern equipment and facilities. However, they may not have been operating long enough to earn an accreditation or to establish a reputation. On the other hand, more established schools may still be using their original, outdated equipment, but have established a long history of success and received one or more accreditations. Also, the longer a school has operated, the more alumni the school can solicit for its job assistance program. Naturally there is some give and take based on the age of the culinary 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 excellent reputation, accreditation and a modern facility with modern equipment.
Job Placement Rates. Initially, ask what the graduation rates are for the culinary institutes you are evaluating. Low graduation rates are signs that numerous students were dissatisfied with either the colleges or the programs and dropped out. They may also signify that the teachers were not qualified to teach the course of study. Request that the schools provide their job placement rates also. If a college has a higher job placement rate, it will help confirm that it has a good or exceptional reputation within the culinary community, in addition to a broad network of professional relationships. Be suspicious of any school that will not furnish this information.
Location. The culinary school that you enroll in must be within commuting distance of your Saratoga Springs residence, unless you are willing to relocate. You may consider attending school online, but you would still have to travel for your externship program. Alternatively, maybe you have opted to attend a specific culinary arts school located in a different state due to its prominence and courses offered. It would be a good idea to pay a visit to the facility before enrolling, to make sure that you are comfortable with the location and your prospective living conditions. Check the training facilities personally to make certain they are up to date and that the equipment is contemporary. Keep in mind also that a number of schools target their job assistance programs within their regional communities, so pick a location where you will satisfied working.
Class Sizes. The ideal way to learn how to cook is with plenty of one-on-one training. If the culinary arts school you enroll in has bigger classes, you will undoubtedly get little individual attention from the teachers. The best way to evaluate the interaction and communication between instructors and students is to attend some of the classes. Ask a couple of the students what their experience has been. Ascertain if they are happy with the level of attention they receive in class in addition to the overall training. Also, speak with several of the instructors and learn what their teaching styles are as well as their experiences and qualifications.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no benefit to in enrolling in a culinary arts program if you will not be able to attend the classes. So make sure that the school you decide on offers class scheduling that can work with your hectic lifestyle. If you can only attend at night or on Saturdays or Sundays near Saratoga Springs NY due to your job schedule, check that the school you select offers either weekend or night classes. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, verify that the culinary arts institute has a part-time offering. Also, check to see what the make-up protocol is if you need to miss a class because of family, work or other obligations.
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