How to Enroll In the Right Aesthetician School Near North Druid Hills Georgia
Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near North Druid Hills GA, the task starts to search for and enroll in the right program. It's imperative that the program you pick not only provides the proper training for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may be a little bit confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your North Druid Hills home. Tuition will likewise be an important factor when evaluating prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it's not always the ideal choice. There are many other factors that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the aesthetician schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what kinds of programs are offered.
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Esthetics Certificates and Degrees
There are primarily two avenues offered 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 generally require 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 trained in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you prefer to specialize in just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other North Druid Hills GA business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master's degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you opt for, it's important to make certain that it's recognized by the Georgia Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming section.
Online Esthetics Training
Online esthetician classes are accommodating for North Druid Hills GA students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are frequently fast paced since many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you're not devoting numerous hours away from your home or commuting to and from classes. However, it's imperative that the school you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it's impossible to obtain the skills required 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 provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Aesthetician Programs
Below is a series of questions that you need to research for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your North Druid Hills home, together with the price of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional 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 should ask each school before making a final selection.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's necessary 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 organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many North Druid Hills GA businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed 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 agencies. If you have any relationships with North Druid Hills GA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. And last, check with the Georgia 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 Focus? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you select a school that specializes in 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 respected for that program. If your aspiration is to start a North Druid Hills GA 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 seeking will not deliver the training you require.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and refining esthetician skills and techniques requires lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best option for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's imperative that she or he gets assistance in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer assistance maintain relationships with North Druid Hills GA businesses that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out 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 Aid Offered? Almost all esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students as well. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an option until you find out what financial assistance may be offered.
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Enroll in the Right North Druid Hills Esthetician Program
Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is important to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to compile all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the institution and program you select are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to begin your career as a professional esthetician in North Druid Hills Georgia.
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