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Researching Culinary Colleges
At this point you should have made a decision regarding the type of degree that you want to attain, and if you want to enroll in a public or private school. Since there are numerous cooking programs in the Vestal area and within the United States, you must create a checklist of important qualifiers so that you can begin narrowing your options. A few obvious qualifiers, such as cost and location are an excellent place to begin. But deciding on a school because it is the nearest or the cheapest is not the optimal way to decide on your education. There are other criteria, such as reputation and accreditation that you should assess as well. Therefore, below are some key areas that you need to research for every school as you compare and contrast them and make your ultimate selection.
Accreditation. It's imperative that the culinary school you select has some type of accreditation from either a regional or a national agency. As previously mentioned, the accrediting authority should be a U.S. Department of Education certified authority, such as the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have successfully completed a detailed assessment regarding their curriculum, teachers and facilities. So not only does accreditation help establish that you will receive quality training, but it can also help in obtaining a student loan or financial aid which are generally not offered for non-accredited schools.
Age. Newer schools frequently have the advantage of having modern equipment and facilities. However, they may not have been open 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 track record of success and received one or more accreditations. Also, the much more 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 dependent on the age of the culinary schools. And older, more highly regarded schools usually modernize their equipment and facilities. The significant takeaway is that in the best case scenario, your school of choice will have an excellent reputation, accreditation and a modern facility with modern equipment.
Job Placement Rates. First off, find out what the graduation rates are for the culinary institutions you are assessing. Low graduation rates are red flags that many students were unhappy with either the institutes or the training and quit before graduating. They may also indicate that the instructors were not qualified to teach the curriculum. Request that the schools supply their job placement rates as well. If a college has a high job placement rate, it will help confirm that it has a great or excellent reputation within the culinary field, as well as a wide network of professional connections. Watch out for any school that will not provide this information.
Location. The culinary arts school that you enroll in must be within driving distance of your Vestal residence, unless you have decided to relocate. You may consider attending classes online, but you would still have to travel for your externship training. On the other hand, maybe you have decided to attend a specific culinary school located in another state due to its ranking and courses offered. It would be a wise decision to pay a visit to the facility before enrolling, to make sure that you are comfortable with the location and your future living conditions. Look over the training facilities in person to make certain they are modern and that the equipment is contemporary. Keep in mind also that some schools concentrate their job assistance programs within their regional communities, so choose a location where you will be happy working.
Class Sizes. The most effective approach to learn how to cook is with lots of one-on-one instruction. If the culinary college you enroll in has bigger classes, you will most likely receive little personal attention from the instructors. The optimal means to assess the interaction and communication between faculty and students is to attend a few of the classes. Ask a couple of the students what their experience has been. Ascertain if they are pleased with the level of attention they get in class as well as the entire course of training. Also, talk with a couple of the instructors and determine what their teaching approaches are as well as their backgrounds and credentials.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no sense in enrolling in a culinary arts institute if you will not be able to attend the classes. Therefore make sure that the school you select has available class scheduling that can accommodate your hectic lifestyle. If you can only attend in the evening or on weekends near Vestal NY because of your work schedule, make certain that the school you decide on offers either weekend or night classes. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the culinary institute has a part-time alternative. Also, find out what the make-up protocol is if you have to miss a class because of family, work or other commitments.
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