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Questions to Ask Aesthetician Programs
Following is a list of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Muscatine home, together with the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have put together several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's necessary to make sure that the esthetician school you choose 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Muscatine IA businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any esthetician school that you are seriously considering 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 placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Muscatine IA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And last, check with the Iowa school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full 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 particular specialty, for instance 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 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 respected for that program. If your dream is to open a Muscatine IA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator as well. Selecting a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for developing your skills. So look for alternate schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's essential that he or she gets support in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide assistance maintain relationships with Muscatine IA businesses that are looking for trained 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. Also, ask 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 Assistance Offered? Many esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students also. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not discard it as an option before you find out what financial assistance may be offered.