How to Enroll In the Right Esthetician College Near Scottsdale Arizona

Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Scottsdale AZ, the process begins to find and enroll in the best program. It's important that the school you choose not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be rather confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Scottsdale residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical consideration when assessing potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it's not necessarily the right choice. There are various other qualifications that you should weigh when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what types of courses are available.

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Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

There are essentially two pathways offered to get esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate's degree. Certificate programs typically take 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate's degree usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you prefer to specialize in just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Scottsdale AZ business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master's degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you go with, it's important to make certain that it's certified by the Arizona Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only certify schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following segment.

Online Esthetician Schools

Online esthetician programs are accommodating for Scottsdale AZ students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are many online cosmetology school programs available that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are typically fast paced because many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you're not spending many hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it's important that the training program you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's impossible to obtain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Schools

Below is a series of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Scottsdale home, in addition to the price of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have put together some of those supplemental 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 college you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often 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 concluding benefit, a number of Scottsdale AZ employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation?  Any esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Scottsdale AZ salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And finally, consult the Arizona school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty?  A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you pick 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 well regarded for that program. If your vision is to start a Scottsdale AZ beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Picking a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided?  Learning and mastering esthetician skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty school offers limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for developing your skills. So look for alternate schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's important that he or she gets help in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance develop relationships with Scottsdale AZ businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available?  Most esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and identify 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 available to students also. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an option until you learn what financial help may be provided.

Learn How to Become an Aesthetician in Scottsdale

Enroll in the Best Scottsdale Esthetician Training

Locating and enrolling in the right esthetician college is imperative to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to collect all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Scottsdale Arizona.

 

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