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Comparing Cooking Institutions
By now you should have decided on the type of degree that you wish to attain, and if you would like to enroll in a private or a public institution. Since there are numerous culinary arts institutions in the Syracuse area and within the USA, you will want to create a checklist of important qualifiers so that you can start narrowing your options. Certain obvious qualifiers, for instance cost and location are an excellent place to begin. But choosing a school because it is the closest or the most affordable is not the optimal way to decide on your education. There are other factors, for example accreditation and reputation that you must assess as well. So following are some key areas that you should investigate for every school as you compare them and make your final choice.
Accreditation. It's imperative that the culinary arts program you decide on has some form of accreditation from either a local or a national organization. As previously mentioned, the accrediting organization should be a U.S. Department of Education certified agency, for example the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have successfully completed a comprehensive review relating to their curriculum, instructors and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help establish that you will receive excellent training, but it may also help in acquiring a student loan or financial assistance which are frequently not available for non-accredited schools.
Age. Newer schools often have the advantage of having modern equipment and facilities. However, they may not have been open long enough to garner an accreditation or to cultivate a reputation. On the other hand, more established schools may still be using their original, outdated equipment, but have established a long history of excellence and acquired one or more accreditations. Also, the longer a school has operated, the more alumni the school can reach out to for its job placement program. Certainly there is some give and take based on the age of the culinary schools. And older, more reputable schools commonly update their equipment and facilities. The valuable takeaway is that in the best case scenario, your selected school will have an exceptional 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 evaluating. Low graduation rates are indications that numerous students were unhappy with either the institutes or the training and dropped out. They can also signify that the teachers were not competent to teach the curriculum. Request that the schools provide their job placement rates as well. If a school has a higher job placement rate, it will help affirm that it has a great or exceptional reputation within the culinary arts field, in addition to a wide network of professional associations. Be skeptical of any school that will not supply this information.
Location. The culinary institute that you choose must be within driving distance of your Syracuse home, unless you can move. You may consider attending classes online, but you would still have to travel for your externship training. On the other hand, perhaps you have opted to attend a specific culinary arts college located in a different state because of its prominence and programs offered. It would be a wise decision to check out the campus before enrolling, to make certain that you are satisfied with the area and your potential living conditions. Inspect the training facilities in person to make sure they are up to date and that the equipment is state of the art. Remember also that a number of schools concentrate their job placement programs within their local communities, so choose a location where you will enjoy working.
Class Sizes. The ideal approach to learn how to cook is with plenty of personalized training. If the culinary arts institute you enroll in has larger classes, you will most likely receive limited personal attention from the teachers. The ideal means to assess the communication and interaction between instructors and students is to audit a few of the classes. Ask some of the students what their experience has been. Find out if they are happy with the amount of attention they get in class as well as the overall training. Also, speak with a couple of the teachers and learn what their teaching approaches are as well as their backgrounds and credentials.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no point in enrolling in a culinary arts school if you will be unable to attend the classes. So make certain that the school you select has available class scheduling that can work with your active lifestyle. If you can only attend at night or on Saturdays or Sundays near Syracuse NY because of your work schedule, make certain that the school you select offers either weekend or evening classes. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the culinary college has a part-time alternative. Also, check to see what the make-up protocol is if you need to miss a class as a result of family, work or other commitments.
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