How to Choose the Best Esthetician School Near Lexington Kentucky
Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Lexington KY, the process starts to locate and enroll in the right program. It's imperative that the school you choose not only furnishes the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you might be somewhat puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Lexington home. Tuition will also be an important aspect when evaluating prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it's not automatically the best choice. There are several other considerations that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a little bit about what kinds of programs are offered.
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Esthetician Degrees and Certificates
There are basically two pathways offered to receive esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate's degree. Certificate programs normally call for 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate's degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you prefer to specialize in just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Lexington KY business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master's degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you go with, it's essential to make certain that it's recognized by the Kentucky Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming section.
Online Esthetics Courses
Online esthetician programs are accommodating for Lexington KY students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs offered that can be accessed via a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional beauty programs are frequently fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it's imperative that the school you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's difficult to gain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Esthetics Training Classes
Following is a list of questions that you should look into for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Lexington residence, as well as the cost of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's necessary to make sure that the esthetician college 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 comply with their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Lexington KY businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews along with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Lexington KY salon owners or managers, or any person 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 looked into. Finally, check with the Kentucky 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 broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you select a school that focuses on 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 start a Lexington KY 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 pursuing will not deliver the training you need.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty school offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. So search for 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 school, it's imperative that she or he gets assistance in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid maintain relationships with Lexington KY employers that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Almost all esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and find out 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 offered to students also. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not drop it as an option before you find out what financial help may be available.
More Info on How to Become an Aesthetician in Lexington
Enroll in the Best Lexington Esthetician Course
Locating and enrolling in the right esthetician school is imperative to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Don't forget to compile all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the academy and program you decide on are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are ready to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Lexington Kentucky.
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