It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Esthetician Career Below!
What to Ask Esthetician Schools
Below is a series of questions that you will want to research for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Grafton residence, as well as the expense of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's necessary to make sure that the esthetician school you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national organization, 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 quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Grafton IL employers 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? Each esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Grafton IL salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And last, contact the Illinois 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? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive 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 frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you pick a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your ambition 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 start a Grafton IL beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator as well. Choosing a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and refining esthetician techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty school offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's imperative that she or he receives support in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help develop relationships with Grafton IL businesses that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and inquire 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 broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Almost all esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students also. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you learn what financial assistance may be provided.