It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Esthetician Career Below!
Questions to Ask Aesthetician Trade Schools
Following is a list of questions that you need to research for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Peoria home, as well as the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final selection.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's essential to make sure that the esthetician school you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Peoria AZ 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? Every esthetician institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements 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 demanded. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Peoria AZ salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And finally, consult the Arizona school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you select a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your objective is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your vision is to open a Peoria AZ beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Choosing a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty academy offers limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for developing your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's important that she or he receives help in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance maintain relationships with Peoria AZ businesses that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Many esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and find out 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 accessible to students also. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an option before you learn what financial help may be provided.