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Evaluating Culinary Arts Institutes
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 private or a public school. Since there are numerous cooking programs in the Yorktown area and across the Country, you need to develop a checklist of essential qualifiers so that you can begin narrowing your choices. Some obvious qualifiers, for example location and cost are a good place to begin. But choosing a school because it is the nearest or the most affordable is not the optimal way to make a decision regarding your education. There are other considerations, for instance accreditation and reputation that you must evaluate as well. So following are some crucial areas that you should research for every school as you compare and contrast them and make your ultimate decision.
Accreditation. It's very important that the cooking college you select has some form of accreditation from either a regional or a national organization. As previously stated, the accrediting agency should be a U.S. Department of Education certified authority, for instance the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have passed a comprehensive evaluation pertaining to their curriculum, teachers and facilities. So not only does accreditation help establish that you will receive exceptional training, but it may also help in obtaining a student loan or financial assistance which are frequently not accessible for non-accredited schools.
Age. Recently established schools frequently have the advantage of possessing modern equipment and facilities. However, they may not have been open long enough to garner an accreditation or to develop a reputation. Conversely, older schools may still be using their original, dated equipment, but have established a lengthy history of success and obtained one or more accreditations. Also, the longer a school has been in business, the more alumni the school can solicit for its job placement program. Naturally there is some give and take dependent on the age of the culinary schools. And older, more highly regarded schools commonly update their facilities and equipment. The valuable lesson is that in the best case scenario, your school of choice will have an excellent reputation, accreditation and a state-of-the-art facility with newer equipment.
Job Placement Rates. First off, ask what the graduation rates are for the cooking programs you are assessing. Low graduation rates are indicators that a number of students were unhappy with either the colleges or the training and dropped out. They can also indicate that the teachers were not qualified to teach the curriculum. Request that the schools furnish their job placement rates as well. If a school has a high job placement rate, it will help verify that it has a great or excellent reputation within the culinary field, in addition to a wide network of professional relationships. Be skeptical of any school that will not provide this information.
Location. The culinary institute that you attend should be within commuting distance of your Yorktown home, unless you are able to relocate. You may look into attending classes online, but you would still have to travel for your externship training. Alternatively, maybe you have decided to enroll in a particular culinary arts institute located in a different state because of its ranking and courses offered. It would be a good idea to pay a visit to the facility before enrolling, to make sure that you are satisfied with the location and your potential living conditions. Look over the training facilities personally to make certain they are up to date and that the equipment is state of the art. Keep in mind also that a number of schools target their job assistance programs within their regional communities, so select a location where you will satisfied working.
Class Sizes. The ideal method to learn how to cook is with plenty of personalized training. If the cooking institute you enroll in has bigger classes, you will undoubtedly get little personal attention from the teachers. The best manner in which to assess the interaction and communication between faculty and students is to sit in on some 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 in addition to the overall training. Also, talk with several of the teachers and learn what their teaching approaches are together with their histories and qualifications.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no point in enrolling in a culinary college if you will not be able to attend the classes. So make certain that the school you decide on offers class scheduling that can fit in with your busy lifestyle. If you can only attend at night or on weekends near Yorktown NY due to your job schedule, confirm that the school you select offers either weekend or evening classes. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, check that the culinary college has a part-time offering. Also, ask what the make-up protocol is if you need to miss a class because of family, work or other commitments.
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