It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Esthetician Career Below!
Questions to Ask Esthetician Schools
Following is a list of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Plainville home, in addition to the price of tuition, will undoubtedly 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 narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's important 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 agency, 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 superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Plainville CT employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Plainville CT salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. And last, consult the Connecticut 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 Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you decide on 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 well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to launch a Plainville CT beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Choosing a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and refining esthetician skills and techniques requires lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school provides limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on using mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for developing your skills. Therefore look 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 she or he gets aid in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance maintain relationships with Plainville CT employers that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. High 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 offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and identify 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 available to students also. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not omit it as an option until you determine what financial aid may be available.