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Questions to Ask Esthetics Trade Schools
Following is a series of questions that you should research for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Pleasant Hill home, as well as the price of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled some of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's essential to make certain that the esthetician school you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Pleasant Hill CA businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews along with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Pleasant Hill CA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And finally, consult the California school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in full 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, offering training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden 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 certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your desire is to open a Pleasant Hill CA 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 rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and refining esthetician techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology 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 little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for developing your skills. So try to find other schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's essential that he or she receives aid in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer help maintain relationships with Pleasant Hill CA businesses that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Almost all esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Speak with 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 available to students too. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you learn what financial help may be offered.