How to Choose the Best Aesthetician School Near Westport Connecticut
Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Westport CT, the task starts to find and enroll in the best program. It's imperative that the program you select not only provides the appropriate education for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be a little bit puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Westport residence. Tuition will also be an important factor when reviewing potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it's not necessarily the ideal option. There are various other qualifications that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let's talk a bit about what types of training programs are available.
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Esthetician Degrees
There are essentially two options offered to obtain esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate's degree. Certificate programs generally take 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate's degree usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you wish to concentrate on just one area, such as 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 Westport CT business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master's degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you go with, it's imperative to make certain that it's recognized by the Connecticut Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next section.
Online Esthetician Classes
Online esthetician classes are accommodating for Westport CT students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be attended through a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are typically fast paced since many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not spending numerous hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it's vital that the school you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it's impossible to gain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Esthetician Training Programs
Below is a list of questions that you will want to look into for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Westport home, together with the expense of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled some of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's important to make certain that the esthetician school you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national agency, 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 necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Westport CT businesses 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? Any esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews along with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Westport CT salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. Finally, consult the Connecticut school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as 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 specializes in 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 well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to start a Westport CT beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator as well. Picking a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.
Is Enough Hands-On 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 beauty courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty academy furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. So look for other schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's crucial that she or he receives assistance in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer help develop relationships with Westport CT employers that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Almost all esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and learn 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 also. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an alternative before you learn what financial assistance may be available.
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Enroll in the Best Westport Esthetician Training
Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician college is important to receive the proper 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. Be sure to collect all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you begin 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 proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Westport Connecticut.
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