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Evaluating Culinary Programs
At this point you should have decided on the type of degree that you plan to attain, and whether or not you want to enroll in a public or private school. Since there are numerous culinary arts institutions in the West Hempstead area and across the USA, you must create a checklist of important qualifiers so that you can start narrowing down your choices. A few obvious qualifiers, such as cost and location are an excellent place to start. But picking a school because it is the closest or the least expensive is not the ideal way to make a decision regarding your education. There are other factors, for example accreditation and reputation that you must evaluate also. So below are some critical areas that you will need to research for each school as you compare and contrast them and make your final 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 aforementioned, the accrediting authority should be a U.S. Department of Education recognized organization, such as the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have passed a comprehensive evaluation relating to their curriculum, teachers and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help confirm that you will receive excellent training, but it may also help in acquiring a student loan or financial aid which are frequently not available for non-accredited schools.
Age. Newer schools generally have the benefit of possessing modern equipment and facilities. However, they may not have been operating long enough to earn 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 On the other hand, more established schools may still be using their original, outdated equipment, but have established a long history of excellence and obtained one or more accreditations. Also, the longer a school has been in operation, the more alumni the school can solicit for its job assistance program. Certainly there is some give and take based on the age of the culinary arts schools. And older, more renowned schools commonly update their facilities and equipment. The significant takeaway is that in the best case scenario, your chosen school will have an outstanding reputation, accreditation and a state-of-the-art facility with modern equipment.
Job Placement Rates. First off, find out what the graduation rates are for the culinary colleges you are looking at. Lower graduation rates are red flags that many students were unhappy with either the colleges or the training and quit before graduating. They can also suggest that the instructors were not qualified to teach the course of study. Ask the schools to furnish their job placement rates also. If a college has a high job placement rate, it will help validate that it has a great or excellent reputation within the culinary field, as well as a broad network of professional associations. Be wary of any school that will not supply this information.
Location. The culinary college that you attend should be within driving distance of your West Hempstead residence, unless you are willing to relocate. You may look into attending school online, but you would still need to travel for your externship training. On the other hand, maybe you have chosen to go to a particular culinary institute located in a different state due to its prominence and courses offered. It would be a good idea to visit the facility before enrolling, to make sure that you are comfortable with the location and your future living conditions. Inspect the training facilities in person to make sure they are modern and that the equipment is state of the art. Keep in mind also that many schools target their job assistance programs within their regional communities, so select a location where you will enjoy working.
Class Sizes. The most effective approach to learn how to cook is with a lot of personalized instruction. If the culinary program you enroll in has large classes, you will undoubtedly receive little personal attention from the teachers. 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 happy with the amount of attention they get in class as well as the overall training. Also, talk with several of the teachers and learn what their teaching styles are along with their backgrounds and credentials.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no benefit to in enrolling in a culinary arts school if you will be unable to attend the classes. Therefore make sure that the school you select offers class scheduling that will accommodate your hectic lifestyle. If you can only attend at night or on Saturdays or Sundays near West Hempstead NY due to your job schedule, confirm that the school you pick offers either night or weekend classes. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, confirm that the culinary school has a part-time option. Also, check to see what the make-up policy is if you must miss a class due to family, work or other obligations.
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