How to Find the Right Aesthetician School Near Fort Collins Colorado

Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Fort Collins CO, the task begins to find and enroll in the right program. It's essential that the program you pick not only provides the appropriate education for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you may be a little bit unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Fort Collins home. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when evaluating prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it's not automatically the right choice. There are a number of other qualifications that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let's discuss a little bit about what kinds of programs are offered.

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Esthetics Certificates and Degrees

There are basically two avenues available to get esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate's degree. Certificate programs typically call for 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate's degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you want to concentrate on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Fort Collins CO business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master's degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you decide on, it's imperative to make certain that it's recognized by the Colorado Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next segment.

Online Esthetician Programs

Online esthetician programs are advantageous for Fort Collins CO students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended via a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced since many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you're not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's important that the program you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's impossible to gain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Degree Programs

Following is a list of questions that you will want to look into for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Fort Collins home, as well as the expense of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled some of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.

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 certified local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often 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, a number of Fort Collins CO businesses will not hire 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 college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements 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 sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Fort Collins CO salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. And finally, check with the Colorado school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty?  Many esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating 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 commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you select a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your vision is to launch a Fort Collins CO 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 weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.

Is Any Live Training Provided?  Studying and mastering esthetician skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty academy furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. So search for other schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's imperative that he or she gets aid in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help develop relationships with Fort Collins CO businesses that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Available?  The majority of esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might 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 satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an alternative until you find out what financial help may be available.

Learn How to Become an Aesthetician in Fort Collins

Enroll in the Right Fort Collins Esthetician Training

Choosing and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is essential to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to collect all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the academy and program you decide on are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Fort Collins Colorado.

 

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