It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Esthetician Career Below!
Questions to Ask Esthetics Trade Schools
Below is a list of questions that you should look into for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Fort Dodge residence, in addition to the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first 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 options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have compiled some of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.
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 agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a quality 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 many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Fort Dodge IA businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Fort Dodge IA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And last, contact the Iowa school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive 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 typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you pick 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 well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to start a Fort Dodge IA 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 rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and refining esthetician skills and techniques demands lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty academy offers limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. So search for 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 crucial that she or he receives assistance in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer aid develop relationships with Fort Dodge IA businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Many esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students also. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an option until you learn what financial assistance may be offered.