How to Select the Best Aesthetician College Near Fort Collins Colorado

Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Fort Collins CO, the task starts to search for and enroll in the right program. It's essential that the program you choose not only provides the necessary education for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be a little bit unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Fort Collins residence. Tuition will additionally be a critical consideration when reviewing potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it's not always the ideal choice. There are a number of other factors that you should weigh when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what types of programs are available.

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Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

There are basically two pathways 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 normally take 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 instructed in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you want to concentrate on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also probably include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Fort Collins CO business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master's degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you choose, it's essential to make sure that it's approved by the Colorado Board of Cosmetology. Many states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming segment.

Online Esthetics Classes

Online esthetician schools are convenient for Fort Collins CO students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs offered that can be attended via a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are frequently fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you're not spending numerous hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it's vital that the school you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's impossible to acquire the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Schools

Following is a series of questions that you will want to look into for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Fort Collins residence, together with the expense of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's necessary to make sure that the esthetician training program you choose 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Fort Collins CO employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation?  Every esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Fort Collins CO salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. And finally, contact the Colorado school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus?  A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you pick a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your vision is to open a Fort Collins CO beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Selecting a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided?  Studying and refining esthetician techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty program provides little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  Once a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's crucial that he or she gets aid in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develop relationships with Fort Collins CO businesses that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered?  Almost all 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. Consult with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students as well. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an alternative until you determine what financial help may be available.

Learn How to Become an Esthetician in Fort Collins

Enroll in the Best Fort Collins Esthetician Training

Locating and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is essential to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to organize all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the college and program you choose are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are prepared to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Fort Collins Colorado.

 

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