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Researching Culinary Schools
At this point you should have decided on the type of degree that you wish to attain, and whether or not you want to enroll in a public or private institute. Since there are numerous culinary arts programs in the Springfield Gardens area and across the United States, you will want to create a checklist of essential qualifiers so that you can start narrowing your choices. Some obvious qualifiers, including cost and location are an excellent place to begin. But picking a school because it is the nearest or the cheapest is not the optimal way to make a decision regarding your education. There are other considerations, including reputation and accreditation that you must evaluate as well. Therefore, below are some key areas that you will need to investigate for every school as you compare and contrast them and make your ultimate decision.
Accreditation. It's imperative that the culinary arts program you choose has some form of accreditation from either a local or a national agency. As aforementioned, the accrediting authority should be a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged authority, for instance the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have successfully completed a comprehensive review regarding their course of study, teachers and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help ascertain that you will receive exceptional training, but it can also assist in acquiring a student loan or financial aid which are often not offered for non-accredited schools.
Age. Newer schools generally have the benefit of having modern equipment and facilities. However, they may not have been in operation long enough to acquire an accreditation or to establish a reputation. Conversely, older schools may still be using their original, outdated equipment, but have established a sustained track record of success and earned one or more accreditations. Also, the longer a school has been in operation, the more graduates the school can reach out to for its job assistance program. Obviously there is some give and take dependent on the age of the cooking schools. And older, more renowned schools commonly modernize their equipment and facilities. The important lesson is that in the best case scenario, your selected school will have an exceptional reputation, accreditation and a modern facility with newer equipment.
Job Placement Rates. Initially, ask what the graduation rates are for the culinary arts colleges you are assessing. Lower graduation rates are indicators that numerous students were dissatisfied with either the colleges or the courses and quit before graduating. They may also suggest that the instructors were not competent to teach the curriculum. Ask the schools to provide their job placement rates also. If a college has a higher job placement rate, it will help validate that it has a great or outstanding reputation within the culinary field, in addition to a large network of professional contacts. Be skeptical of any school that will not furnish this information.
Location. The culinary arts institute that you attend should be within commuting distance of your Springfield Gardens home, unless you have decided to move. You may consider attending school online, but you would still need to travel for your externship training. Conversely, perhaps you have opted to enroll in a particular culinary arts school located in a different state due to its ranking and programs offered. It would be a wise decision to visit the facility before enrolling, to make sure that you are satisfied with the location and your prospective living conditions. Check the training facilities in person to make sure they are up to date and that the equipment is state of the art. Keep in mind also that a number of schools focus their job assistance programs within their local communities, so pick a location where you will be happy working.
Class Sizes. The most effective approach to learn how to cook is with a lot of personalized instruction. If the culinary arts program you enroll in has larger classes, you will undoubtedly get minimal individual attention from the instructors. The ideal manner in which to evaluate the interaction and communication between faculty and students is to sit in on a few of the classes. Ask a couple of the students what their experience has been. Ascertain if they are satisfied with the amount of attention they get in class as well as the entire course of training. Also, talk with several of the instructors and find out what their teaching philosophies are along with their backgrounds and credentials.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no benefit to in enrolling in a culinary school if you will be unable to attend the classes. Therefore confirm that the school you choose provides class scheduling that can work with your hectic lifestyle. If you can only attend at night or on weekends near Springfield Gardens NY due to your job schedule, make certain that the school you select offers either night or weekend 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 protocol is if you need to miss a class because of family, work or other commitments.
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