It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Esthetician Career Below!
What to Ask Esthetics Schools
Following is a list of questions that you should investigate for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Jamaica Plain home, as well as the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly 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 must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's important to make sure that the esthetician school you select 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for securing 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 concluding benefit, many Jamaica Plain MA employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Jamaica Plain MA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. And finally, check with the Massachusetts school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you select a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your vision is to start a Jamaica Plain 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 poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Practicing and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's important that he or she receives support in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help develop relationships with Jamaica Plain MA businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Almost all esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and learn 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 accessible to students also. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an alternative before you determine what financial help may be available.