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Researching Cooking Schools
At this point you should have decided on the type of degree that you plan to earn, and if you would like to enroll in a private or a public college. Since there are numerous culinary colleges in the Whitestown area and across the Country, you must develop a checklist of important qualifications so that you can start limiting your options. Certain obvious qualifiers, including cost and location are a good place to start. But picking a school because it is the nearest or the cheapest is not the best way to make a decision regarding your education. There are other criteria, for instance reputation and accreditation that you must evaluate as well. Therefore, below are some key areas that you need to investigate for each school as you compare and contrast them and make your final choice.
Accreditation. It's very important that the cooking college you select has some type of accreditation from either a regional or a national agency. As mentioned previously, the accrediting agency should be a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged organization, for instance the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have successfully completed a detailed review relating to their curriculum, teachers and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help ensure that you will receive excellent training, but it can also help in obtaining a student loan or financial assistance which are generally not accessible for non-accredited schools.
Age. Recently established schools generally have the benefit of possessing modern facilities and equipment. However, they may not have been in operation long enough to earn an accreditation or to establish a reputation. Conversely, older schools may still be using their original, outdated equipment, but have established a lengthy track record of excellence and received one or more accreditations. Also, the longer a school has operated, the more alumni the school can reach out to for its job assistance program. Certainly there is some give and take based on the age of the cooking schools. And older, more highly regarded schools usually modernize their equipment and facilities. The important lesson is that in the best case scenario, your chosen school will have an exceptional reputation, accreditation and a modern facility with modern equipment.
Job Placement Rates. First off, find out what the graduation rates are for the culinary arts programs you are assessing. Low graduation rates are indicators that a number of students were unhappy with either the colleges or the programs and quit before graduating. They can also signify that the teachers were not qualified to teach the curriculum. Ask the schools to furnish their job placement rates also. If a college has a higher job placement rate, it will help affirm that it has a great or outstanding reputation within the cooking community, as well as a broad network of professional associations. Be suspicious of any school that will not supply this information.
Location. The culinary arts institute that you attend should be within driving distance of your Whitestown residence, unless you have decided to move. You may think about attending college online, but you would still have to travel for your externship training. Conversely, maybe you have chosen to attend a specific culinary school located in another state due to its reputation and programs offered. It would be a wise decision to pay a visit to the campus before enrolling, to make certain that you are satisfied with the area and your potential living conditions. Tour the training facilities in person to make sure they are up to date and that the equipment is state of the art. Remember also that many schools focus their job placement 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 lots of one-on-one training. If the culinary program you enroll in has large classes, you will undoubtedly get limited individual attention from the teachers. The optimal way to assess the interaction and communication between teachers and students is to audit several of the classes. Ask some of the students what their experience has been. Ascertain if they are happy with the level of attention they get in class in addition to the overall training. Also, speak with some of the teachers and determine what their teaching approaches are as well as their experiences and credentials.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no benefit to in enrolling in a cooking program if you will be unable to attend the classes. Therefore confirm that the school you choose has available class scheduling that can work with your active lifestyle. If you can only attend at night or on weekends near Whitestown NY because of your job schedule, make certain that the school you decide on offers either weekend or evening classes. If you can only attend part-time, verify that the culinary school has a part-time alternative. 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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