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Comparing Culinary Institutes
At this point you should have made a decision regarding the type of degree that you wish to earn, and if you would like to enroll in a private or a public college. Since there are numerous cooking colleges in the Staten Island area and across the United States, you must create a checklist of important qualifications so that you can begin limiting your choices. Certain obvious qualifiers, for instance location and cost are a good place to start. But choosing a school because it is the closest or the cheapest is not the ideal way to make a decision regarding your education. There are other criteria, including accreditation and reputation that you must assess also. Therefore, following are some key areas that you must investigate for each school as you compare and contrast them and make your ultimate decision.
Accreditation. It's imperative that the culinary arts institute you choose has some form of accreditation from either a regional or a national organization. As previously stated, the accrediting agency should be a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged agency, for instance the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have passed a comprehensive review regarding their curriculum, teachers and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help ensure that you will receive excellent training, but it may also help in securing a student loan or financial assistance which are generally not available for non-accredited schools.
Age. Newer schools generally have the advantage of having modern equipment and facilities. However, they may not have been in operation long enough to earn an accreditation or to establish a reputation. On the other hand, older schools may still be using their original, dated equipment, but have established a sustained history of success and received one or more accreditations. Also, the much more a school has operated, the more alumni the school can solicit for its job assistance program. Obviously there is some give and take based on the age of the cooking schools. And older, more highly regarded schools usually update their facilities and equipment. The valuable lesson is that in the best case scenario, your chosen school will have an excellent reputation, accreditation and a modern facility with modern equipment.
Job Placement Rates. First, find out what the graduation rates are for the cooking programs you are examining. Lower graduation rates are indications that numerous students were unhappy with either the colleges or the training and quit before graduating. They may also indicate that the instructors were not competent to teach the course of study. Ask the schools to provide their job placement rates also. If a school has a high job placement rate, it will help verify that it has a great or outstanding reputation within the culinary field, in addition to a broad network of professional relationships. Watch out for any school that will not furnish this information.
Location. The culinary institute that you choose must be within driving distance of your Staten Island residence, unless you can move. You may look into attending school online, but you would still have to travel for your externship training. On the other hand, perhaps you have decided to attend a particular culinary college located in another state due to its ranking and courses offered. It would be a good idea to pay a visit to the facility before enrolling, to make certain that you are satisfied with the location and your potential living conditions. Tour 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 placement programs within their local communities, so select a location where you will satisfied working.
Class Sizes. The most effective approach to learn how to cook is with a lot of personalized instruction. If the cooking program you enroll in has bigger classes, you will undoubtedly receive little individual attention from the instructors. The optimal way to evaluate the interaction between instructors and students is to sit in on several of the classes. Ask a couple of the students what their experience has been. Ascertain if they are pleased with the amount of attention they get in class in addition to the entire course of training. Also, speak with some of the instructors and determine what their teaching philosophies are as well as their experiences and qualifications.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no sense in enrolling in a culinary arts school if you will be unable to attend the classes. So make sure that the school you select has available class scheduling that can work with your active lifestyle. If you can only attend in the evening or on Saturdays or Sundays near Staten Island NY because of your job schedule, make certain that the school you choose offers either night or weekend classes. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, check that the culinary arts program has a part-time alternative. Also, find out what the make-up policy is if you have to miss a class due to work, family or other responsibilities.
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