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  WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN CHOOSING A CULINARY SCHOOL
   
  Choose a school with a great reputation.
 
  • The school's reputation should be strong amongst alumni, chefs, restaurateurs, jounalists, etc. Place more value on the comments and references of people who actually know something about a particular school vs. those who have simply heard of it.
  • Like law, business, medical and engineering schools, there are a number of culinary schools with great reputations, don't believe there are just one or two.
  • Look for schools whose students and alumni have won many regional or national awards and competitions.
  • Some schools stake their reputation on several famous alumni. Look for programs with dozens of successful alumni with success stories and career paths with which you can identify.
     
  Decide whether you need a culinary degree versus a culinary diploma.
 
  • Degree programs are generally more costly and take longer to complete than diploma programs. A good diploma program can save you time and money.
  • Meanwhile, culinary employers care where you went to school, what you learned and how motivated you are. If they respect the school, they do not care whether your training resulted in a degree or a diploma.
  • Degree programs often include general education courses that you may not want or need if you have already attended some college.
     
  > Evaluate the success of the school's externship program.
 
  • Look for schools with a well established externship program in leading restaurants and hotels. (Externships are the industry standard in America and Europe; any school that does not require an externship is not following the long-established industry standard.)
  • Ideally, the school will match your area(s) of greatest interest, such as Italian, Asian or seafood cooking, four-star or casual restaurant, etc., with a specific externship site. A single, stand-alone, student-run restaurant at a school cannot do this. (Also, school-run restaurants are often not busy; you won't learn or cook very much if there aren't many customers.)
  • Find out the frequency with which externships lead to job offers for the school's students.
     
  Choose a school that will help you succeed in your new career after your studies and externship are complete.
     
 
  • Look for high employment and placement rates.
  • Review lists of recent job placements. Do you see the types of jobs and employers that you will be looking for?
  • Find out how many people work full-time in the school's externship and placement department.
  • Does the school offer ongoing job placement assistance? Are they committed to helping you years after you graduate?
     
  Make sure you understand details about the school's class sizes.
 
  • Many culinary schools don't readily admit their class size but talk about a “student-teacher” ratio. This can be misleading: if a teaching assistant or assistant instructor is utilized, the total class size is double the number presented in the ratio. For example, a class with 26 students, a chef-instructor and a teaching assistant, is presented as a “13 to 1” student/teacher ratio. That may be fine, but there are still up to 26 students in the class.
     
  Make sure you understand details about the school's teaching resources.
 
  • Look for a diverse faculty of men and women who represent a variety of culinary styles and experience.
  • Look for faculty whose experience is recent and relevant to your own aspirations. Teaching experience is clearly important, but if your chef-instructors have not worked in the real and contemporary culinary world, their perspective may be out of date.
  • Make sure the school's “celebrity” chef faculty members actually teach, not just endorse the school. Find out how much access you will have to these individuals.
     
  Choose a school where the students and alumni are happy.
 
  • Look for high graduation rates.
  • Talk to current students and alumni. Are they happy with their decision to attend the school?
     
  If your goal is to eventually be an executive chef or culinary entrepreneur, consider schools that have an established management program.
 
  • The most effective management programs present a comprehensive curriculum that includes purchasing, marketing, facility design, supervision and the creation of a business plan.
     
  Choose a school in a recognized culinary capital.
 
  • You can go to culinary school in big cities, small towns, country settings and resort towns. But for the quantity and quality of jobs and high profile restaurants, and the broadcast exposure to all facets of the culinary world, the biggest cities offer the greatest opportunity.
     
  Make sure that the institution is accredited and licensed.
 
  • The school should be accredited by a recognized national accrediting commission.
     
  Make sure you research your choices and don't limit your research to one source.
 
  • Be sure to visit the school and sit in on a class for several hours.
  • Don't assume that the most expensive school is the best school.
  • While the internet is a great reference point, avoid “top 10” or “the best” type ranking sites that are typically advertisements to target you to specific schools. Frequently, schools are paying to be part of these sites.