How to Enroll In the Right Esthetician College Near Folsom California
Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Folsom CA, the process starts to find and enroll in the ideal program. It's imperative that the school you choose not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you might be rather puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Folsom residence. Tuition will additionally be a critical aspect when evaluating prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it's not automatically the ideal choice. There are many other considerations that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a little bit about what types of training programs are offered.
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Esthetician Degrees and Certificates
There are basically two options available to get esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate's degree. Certificate programs generally require 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate's degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you wish to focus on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Folsom CA business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master's degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you go with, it's essential to make sure that it's approved by the California Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the next section.
Online Esthetician Courses
Online esthetician schools are advantageous for Folsom CA students who are working full time and have family commitments that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed via a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty schools are often fast paced because many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not spending many hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it's imperative that the training program you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it's difficult to obtain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So don't forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Aesthetician Degree Programs
Following is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Folsom home, as well as the cost of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's necessary to make sure that the esthetician training program you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Folsom CA businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Folsom CA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. Finally, consult the California school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you choose a school that focuses on 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 dream is to launch a Folsom CA 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 regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best option for developing your skills. So search for other schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's essential that he or she gets assistance in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer assistance maintain relationships with Folsom CA 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 organizations they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have extensive 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. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students too. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not omit it as an option before you determine what financial aid may be provided.
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Enroll in the Best Folsom Esthetician Program
Choosing and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is essential to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to compile all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you choose are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Folsom California.
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