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Comparing Culinary Arts Institutes
By now you should have made a decision regarding the type of degree that you plan to attain, and if you want to enroll in a private or a public institution. Since there a large number of culinary arts colleges in the Union area and across the Country, you will want to develop a checklist of important qualifications so that you can start narrowing down your choices. A few obvious qualifiers, for instance cost and location are a good place to start. But choosing a school because it is the closest or the most affordable is not the best way to make a decision regarding your education. There are other factors, including reputation and accreditation that you should assess as well. So below are some critical areas that you will need to investigate for every school as you compare them and make your final choice.
Accreditation. It's important that the culinary arts program you pick has some type of accreditation from either a regional or a national authority. As previously mentioned, the accrediting authority should be a U.S. Department of Education recognized organization, such as the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have successfully completed a detailed evaluation relating to their course of study, instructors and facilities. So not only does accreditation help ensure that you will receive quality training, but it can also help in obtaining a student loan or financial assistance which are often not accessible for non-accredited schools.
Age. Recently established schools generally have the benefit of having modern facilities and equipment. However, they may not have been open long enough to garner an accreditation or to develop a reputation. Conversely, more established schools may still be using their original, dated equipment, but have established a sustained track record of excellence and received one or more accreditations. Also, the longer a school has been in business, the more graduates the school can solicit for its job assistance program. Naturally there is some give and take based on the age of the cooking schools. And older, more reputable schools commonly update their facilities and equipment. The important lesson is that in the best case scenario, your chosen school will have an outstanding reputation, accreditation and a modern facility with modern equipment.
Job Placement Rates. First off, find out what the graduation rates are for the culinary colleges you are evaluating. Low graduation rates are indicators that numerous students were dissatisfied with either the colleges or the training and quit before graduating. They may also indicate that the instructors were not qualified to teach the curriculum. Ask the schools to supply their job placement rates as well. If a college has a higher job placement rate, it will help affirm that it has a great or exceptional reputation within the culinary arts community, as well as a large network of professional connections. Be wary of any school that will not provide this information.
Location. The cooking college that you enroll in should be within driving distance of your Union residence, unless you can move. You may consider attending classes online, but you would still need to travel for your externship program. Conversely, maybe you have opted to enroll in a particular culinary arts institute located in a different state due to its reputation and programs offered. It would be a good idea to visit the facility before enrolling, to make certain that you are comfortable with the area and your potential living conditions. Tour the training facilities personally to make sure they are modern and that the equipment is state of the art. Remember also that some schools focus their job assistance programs within their regional communities, so pick a location where you will be happy working.
Class Sizes. The best way to learn how to cook is with a lot of one-on-one training. If the culinary arts program you enroll in has large classes, you will probably get limited personal attention from the instructors. The ideal means to evaluate the interaction and communication between faculty and students is to sit in on a few 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 as well as the overall training. Also, talk with some of the instructors and determine what their teaching styles are as well as their histories and qualifications.
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 select has available class scheduling that will fit in with your active lifestyle. If you can only attend in the evening or on weekends near Union NY because of your job schedule, verify that the school you select offers either weekend or evening classes. If you can only attend part-time, confirm that the cooking college has a part-time offering. Also, ask what the make-up protocol is if you must miss a class because of work, family or other obligations.
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