It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Esthetician Career Below!
What to Ask Aesthetician Degree Programs
Below is a list of questions that you need to look into for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Falmouth home, together with the price of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's necessary to make sure that the esthetician training program you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Falmouth MA businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Falmouth MA 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 propose others that you had not considered. Finally, consult the Massachusetts school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you choose a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your goal is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your desire is to open a Falmouth MA 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 regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty school offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. So try to find other schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's important that she or he gets assistance in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help develop relationships with Falmouth MA businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Many esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students also. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an option until you determine what financial help may be available.