It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Esthetician Career Below!
What to Ask Aesthetician Training Classes
Below is a list of questions that you should look into for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Bloomington home, in addition to the cost of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below 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 essential to make sure that the esthetician school you choose 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 guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically 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, numerous Bloomington IN employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Bloomington IN salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. And last, check with the Indiana school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you select 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 respected for that program. If your vision is to open a Bloomington IN beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Selecting a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Studying and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty program furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that furnish this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's crucial that he or she gets help in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer help develop relationships with Bloomington IN employers that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have wide 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 investigating have a financial aid office. Speak with 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 fulfills each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you learn what financial assistance may be provided.