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Questions to Ask Esthetics Trade Schools
Below is a series of questions that you should look into for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Prescott Valley home, together with the price of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have collected some of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.
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 recognized local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Prescott Valley AZ businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Prescott Valley AZ salon owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And last, contact 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 Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you decide on a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your goal is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your desire is to open a Prescott Valley AZ 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 poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and refining esthetician skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on people. 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 enable students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty program provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for other schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's essential that she or he receives help in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide help develop relationships with Prescott Valley AZ employers that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Almost all esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students too. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not discard it as an alternative until you learn what financial assistance may be offered.