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Evaluating Culinary Institutions
By now you should have made a decision regarding the type of degree that you wish to earn, and whether or not you would like to enroll in a public or private institute. Since there are numerous cooking colleges in the Wantagh area and within the USA, you must develop a checklist of important qualifiers so that you can begin narrowing down your options. A few obvious qualifications, such as location and cost are an excellent place to start. But selecting a school because it is the closest or the most affordable is not the ideal way to decide on your education. There are other considerations, for example accreditation and reputation that you need to assess as well. So below are some key areas that you should research for every school as you compare them and make your final decision.
Accreditation. It's essential that the cooking college you choose 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 agency, for instance the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have passed a detailed review pertaining to their course of study, teachers and facilities. So not only does accreditation help establish that you will receive excellent training, but it may also assist in obtaining a student loan or financial assistance which are generally not offered for non-accredited schools.
Age. Recently established schools often have the advantage of possessing modern equipment and facilities. However, they may not have been operating long enough to earn an accreditation or to cultivate a reputation. Conversely, more established schools may still be using their original, outdated equipment, but have established a sustained track record of success and earned one or more accreditations.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 much more a school has been in business, the more graduates the school can solicit for its job assistance program. Certainly 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 valuable lesson is that in the best case scenario, your selected school will have an excellent reputation, accreditation and a state-of-the-art facility with newer equipment.
Job Placement Rates. First off, find out what the graduation rates are for the culinary arts institutes you are looking at. Low graduation rates are red flags that a number of students were dissatisfied with either the colleges or the programs and quit before graduating. They might also suggest that the instructors were not competent to teach the curriculum. Ask the schools to supply 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 outstanding reputation within the cooking community, in addition to a broad network of professional relationships. Watch out for any school that will not furnish this information.
Location. The culinary college that you choose should be within commuting distance of your Wantagh residence, unless you are able to relocate. You may think about attending classes online, but you would still have to travel for your externship training. Alternatively, maybe you have decided to attend a specific culinary arts school located in another state due to its reputation and programs offered. It would be a wise decision to check out 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 up to date and that the equipment is contemporary. Keep in mind also that some schools target their job assistance programs within their local communities, so choose a location where you will satisfied working.
Class Sizes. The ideal approach to learn how to cook is with lots of personalized training. If the cooking program you enroll in has bigger classes, you will probably get limited individual attention from the teachers. The best manner in which to assess the interaction between teachers and students is to attend a few of the classes. Ask some of the students what their experience has been. Find out if they are pleased with the amount of attention they get in class in addition to the overall training. Also, talk with some of the instructors and find out what their teaching philosophies are together with their experiences and qualifications.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no benefit to in enrolling in a culinary program if you will not be able to attend the classes. So confirm that the school you select offers class scheduling that will accommodate your busy lifestyle. If you can only attend in the evening or on Saturdays or Sundays near Wantagh NY because of your work schedule, make certain that the school you pick offers either night or weekend classes. If you can only attend part-time, confirm that the culinary arts school has a part-time alternative. Also, ask what the make-up policy is if you must miss a class as a result of family, work or other obligations.
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