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Comparing Culinary Institutes
At this point you should have decided on the type of degree that you want to earn, and if you want to enroll in a private or a public college. Since there are numerous culinary colleges in the Greensboro area and within the United States, you must develop a checklist of essential qualifiers so that you can start limiting your options. Certain obvious qualifiers, for example cost and location are a good place to begin. But choosing 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 variables, for instance reputation and accreditation that you should review as well. Therefore, below are some crucial areas that you need to investigate for each school as you compare and contrast them and make your final choice.
Accreditation. It's important that the culinary arts program you choose has some form of accreditation from either a regional or a national authority. As mentioned previously, the accrediting agency should be a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged agency, for instance the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have passed a thorough review relating to their curriculum, instructors and facilities. So not only does accreditation help establish that you will receive quality training, but it can also help in securing a student loan or financial aid which are generally not accessible for non-accredited schools.
Age. Newer schools often have the advantage of possessing modern facilities and equipment. 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 On the other hand, more established schools may still be using their original, outdated equipment, but have established a long track record of success and acquired one or more accreditations. Also, the longer a school has been in operation, the more graduates the school can solicit for its job assistance program. Certainly there is some give and take dependent on the age of the culinary schools. And older, more renowned schools typically modernize their equipment and facilities. The valuable 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 newer equipment.
Job Placement Rates. To begin with, find out what the graduation rates are for the culinary arts institutions you are examining. Lower graduation rates are indications that a number of students were dissatisfied with either the institutes or the courses and dropped out. They may also suggest that the teachers were not competent to teach the curriculum. Request that the schools furnish their job placement rates as well. If a school has a higher job placement rate, it will help affirm that it has a good or excellent reputation within the culinary community, in addition to a broad network of professional contacts. Be skeptical of any school that will not furnish this information.
Location. The culinary school that you enroll in must be within driving distance of your Greensboro home, unless you have decided to move. You may look into attending college online, but you would still need to travel for your externship program. On the other hand, maybe you have decided to enroll in a particular culinary college located in a different state because of its ranking and programs 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 location and your future living conditions. Inspect the training facilities in person to make certain they are modern and that the equipment is contemporary. Keep in mind also that some schools target their job placement programs within their local communities, so select a location where you will satisfied working.
Class Sizes. The most effective way to learn how to cook is with plenty of one-on-one instruction. If the culinary program you enroll in has larger classes, you will probably get little personal attention from the teachers. The optimal manner in which to assess the interaction and communication between teachers and students is to attend some of the classes. Ask some of the students what their experience has been. Find out if they are pleased with the amount of attention they get in class in addition to the overall training. Also, talk with several of the instructors and determine what their teaching styles are as well as their histories and qualifications.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no benefit to in enrolling in a culinary arts program if you will not be able to attend the classes. So make sure that the school you decide on offers class scheduling that will work with your hectic lifestyle. If you can only attend in the evening or on weekends near Greensboro NC because of your work schedule, confirm that the school you pick offers either weekend or night classes. If you can only attend part-time, confirm that the cooking school has a part-time alternative. Also, check to see what the make-up protocol is if you need to miss a class because of family, work or other responsibilities.
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