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Evaluating Culinary Arts Schools
At this point you should have made a decision regarding the type of degree that you want to attain, and whether or not you want to enroll in a public or private institute. Since there a large number of cooking schools in the Wheatfield area and across the USA, you will want to develop a checklist of important qualifiers so that you can begin narrowing your choices. A few obvious qualifiers, such as location and cost are a good place to start. But picking a school because it is the closest or the least expensive is not the optimal way to make a decision regarding your education. There are other variables, for instance accreditation and reputation that you need to assess as well. Therefore, following are some key areas that you will need to research for every school as you compare and contrast them and make your final selection.
Accreditation. It's important that the culinary arts program you choose has some type of accreditation from either a local or a national authority. As mentioned previously, the accrediting agency should be a U.S. Department of Education certified organization, for instance the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have passed a thorough evaluation regarding their course of study, teachers and facilities. So not only does accreditation help confirm that you will receive exceptional training, but it can also help in obtaining a student loan or financial assistance which are generally not offered for non-accredited schools.
Age. Newer schools generally 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. On the other hand, older schools may still be using their original, dated equipment, but have established a lengthy history of excellence and earned one or more accreditations. Also, the longer a school has operated, the more alumni the school can solicit for its job assistance program. Obviously there is some give and take based on the age of the cooking schools. And older, more reputable schools usually modernize their equipment and facilities. The important takeaway is that in the best case scenario, your selected 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 arts institutions you are examining. Lower graduation rates are indications that numerous students were dissatisfied with either the schools or the training and dropped out. They can also indicate that the instructors were not qualified to teach the curriculum. Ask the schools to supply their job placement rates also. If a college has a high job placement rate, it will help affirm that it has a good or exceptional reputation within the cooking community, as well as a wide network of professional connections. Watch out for any school that will not supply this information.
Location. The culinary institute that you choose should be within commuting distance of your Wheatfield residence, unless you have decided to relocate. You may look into attending college online, but you would still have to travel for your externship training. Alternatively, perhaps you have decided to attend a specific culinary school located in another state due to its reputation and courses offered. It would be a good idea to pay a visit to the facility before enrolling, to make certain that you are satisfied with the area and your prospective living conditions. Look over the training facilities in person to make certain they are modern and that the equipment is contemporary. Remember also that many schools concentrate their job placement programs within their regional communities, so select a location where you will satisfied working.
Class Sizes. The best way to learn how to cook is with plenty of personalized training. If the culinary college you enroll in has larger classes, you will most likely get minimal individual attention from the teachers. The best way to evaluate the communication and interaction between faculty and students is to audit some of the classes. Ask some of the students what their experience has been. Ascertain if they are pleased with the level of attention they get in class in addition to the entire course of training. Also, talk with some of the teachers and learn what their teaching philosophies are together with their histories and credentials.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no sense in enrolling in a culinary college if you will not be able to attend the classes. Therefore make certain that the school you select offers class scheduling that will work with your active lifestyle. If you can only attend at night or on weekends near Wheatfield NY due to your job schedule, make certain that the school you pick offers either night or weekend classes. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the cooking program has a part-time option. Also, check to see what the make-up protocol is if you need to miss a class due to family, work or other obligations.
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