It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Esthetician Career Below!
Questions to Ask Aesthetician Trade Schools
Below is a series of questions that you need to research for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Lakeland home, together with the cost of tuition, will most likely be your first 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 preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have put together several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.
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 recognized 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 necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable 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 Lakeland FL businesses will not hire 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 institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews together with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Lakeland FL salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. And finally, consult the Florida school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you decide on a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your objective 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 desire is to open a Lakeland FL 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 ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program offers limited 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 search for alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's imperative that she or he receives assistance in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid maintain relationships with Lakeland FL employers that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students too. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an option until you learn what financial assistance may be offered.