It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Esthetician Career Below!
What to Ask Esthetics Schools
Following is a series of questions that you need to look into for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Phenix City residence, as well as the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have put together several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's necessary to make sure that the esthetician training program you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Phenix City AL employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews together with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Phenix City AL salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to propose others that you had not considered. Finally, contact the Alabama school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you select a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your goal is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your desire is to launch a Phenix City AL beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator as well. Choosing a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Practicing and mastering esthetician skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's important that he or she gets help in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide aid maintain relationships with Phenix City AL employers that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students also. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an alternative before you learn what financial aid may be available.