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Contrasting Cooking Programs
At this point you should have decided on the type of degree that you want to attain, and if you want to enroll in a private or a public school. Since there a large number of culinary schools in the West Islip area and within the Country, you will want to create a checklist of important qualifiers so that you can start narrowing down your choices. A few obvious qualifications, for example location and cost are an excellent place to begin. But deciding on a school because it is the nearest or the cheapest is not the best way to decide on your education. There are other criteria, including reputation and accreditation that you need to evaluate as well. Therefore, following are some key areas that you need to research for every school as you compare and contrast them and make your final decision.
Accreditation. It's important that the culinary school you choose has some form of accreditation from either a regional or a national agency. As previously mentioned, the accrediting agency should be a U.S. Department of Education recognized authority, such as the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have successfully completed a thorough assessment pertaining to their course of study, teachers and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help ascertain that you will receive exceptional training, but it may also assist in obtaining a student loan or financial assistance which are generally not offered for non-accredited schools.
Age. Newer schools frequently have the advantage of possessing modern facilities and equipment. However, they may not have been open long enough to garner an accreditation or to cultivate a reputation. Conversely, older schools may still be using their original, dated equipment, but have established a lengthy history of success and received one or more accreditations. Also, the much more a school has been in operation, the more graduates the school can reach out to for its job placement program. Naturally 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 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 modern equipment.
Job Placement Rates. Initially, ask what the graduation rates are for the cooking programs you are reviewing. Low graduation rates are signs that a number of students were dissatisfied with either the schools or the training and dropped out. They may also indicate that the teachers were not qualified to teach the curriculum. Ask the schools to provide their job placement rates as well. If a college has a high job placement rate, it will help affirm that it has a good or excellent reputation within the cooking community, as well as a wide network of professional associations. Be wary of any school that will not supply this information.
Location. The culinary arts college that you attend should be within driving distance of your West Islip residence, unless you are willing to move. You may consider attending school online, but you would still need to travel for your externship training. On the other hand, perhaps you have decided to attend a particular culinary arts institute located in another state because of its prominence and programs offered. It would be a good idea to pay a visit to the campus before enrolling, to make certain that you are satisfied with the location and your prospective living conditions. Look over the training facilities personally to make sure they are modern and that the equipment is contemporary. Consider also that many schools concentrate their job assistance programs within their local communities, so select a location where you will be happy working.
Class Sizes. The most effective method to learn how to cook is with a lot of one-on-one training. If the cooking college you enroll in has larger classes, you will most likely receive limited individual attention from the teachers. The best means to evaluate the communication and interaction between faculty and students is to sit in on a few of the classes. Ask some of the students what their experience has been. Ascertain if they are pleased with the level of attention they receive in class in addition to the entire course of training. Also, speak with several of the teachers and learn what their teaching approaches are along with their experiences and credentials.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no benefit to in enrolling in a cooking college if you will be unable to attend the classes. Therefore confirm that the school you choose provides class scheduling that will accommodate your hectic lifestyle. If you can only attend in the evening or on weekends near West Islip NY due to your job schedule, make certain that the school you select offers either weekend or evening classes. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, verify that the culinary program has a part-time offering. Also, find out what the make-up protocol is if you need to miss a class because of family, work or other commitments.
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