1. If it hasn't been accredited, don't go there. If it's been in business for any period of time, it should have credentials. Culinary arts programs are accredited by 1 of 6 regional associations or by accrediting organizations like the American Culinary Federation (ACF), which evaluates schools against a rigorous set of standards.

2. Don't opt for culinary school student financing that isn't through a government source; it's likely to be an expensive loan. Accreditation for a culinary college also means that students at the school are eligible...

1. If it hasn't been accredited, don't go there. If it's been in business for any period of time, it should have credentials. Culinary arts programs are accredited by 1 of 6 regional associations or by accrediting organizations like the American Culinary Federation (ACF), which evaluates schools against a rigorous set of standards.

2. Don't opt for culinary school student financing that isn't through a government source; it's likely to be an expensive loan. Accreditation for a culinary college also means that students at the school are eligible for federal and state financial aid programs. Usually, this requires that the school is accredited by a body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education

3. Avoid schools that can't help you find a job. A good culinary college should have a placement service. Most established culinary schools have some sort of placement program as well as internship programs that you can take advantage of during your course of study.

4. Don't rely solely on a school's reputation. Learn as much as you can about the faculty. Most culinary instructors will be certified by the American Culinary Federation, have a university degree, and a lot of industry experience. Learn how many have been master chefs, or bakers, or have run large kitchens. See if the faculty is going to cover the range of interests that you are bringing with you to culinary school.

5. Don't go to a culinary college that operates on the lecture hall model. A student-teacher ration for most classes should be no larger than fifteen-to-one. Culinary education is hands on, closely supervised training in many instances.

6. A completely classroom oriented culinary school won't do. Make sure that your chosen culinary college has sufficient kitchen time in its curriculum. Some even have restaurants where the kitchen is staffed by students. One of the major complaints in the industry about recent culinary school graduates is the lack of speed. You have to be able to perform your work at the pace found in professional settings.

7. Don't select a culinary program that doesn't get you the certification you need. Like every other market, in the culinary education world you get what you pay for. A short training program is likely to provide you with some sort of certificate, but it will be for an entry level job requiring little skill. There are fourteen levels of certification provided chefs by the American Culinary Foundation. Decide what level you want to achieve.

8. Don't be taken in by the name. Some culinary schools have very impressive institutional names; some are even French, seemingly implying a culinary education focused on grand European cuisine. For any culinary school, after accreditation you should look at the graduation rate and the job placement level of success. If they can't provide you with these figures, you probably shouldn't provide them with an application.

9. Don't look at culinary school as a career advancement choice. In other words, don't think you can get it done with 6-12 months of specialized training and then move into the industry. A quality culinary education that turns out well trained potential chefs is going to take a lot of your time over an extended period. It's also going to be a financial challenge for a lot of people. You know it's worth it; just be prepared to make that full commitment.