How to Pick the Right Esthetician College Near Lawrence Massachusetts

Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Lawrence MA, the process begins to find and enroll in the right program. It's important that the school you select not only furnishes the appropriate education for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be a little bit confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Lawrence home. Tuition will additionally be an important aspect when reviewing possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it's not always the right option. There are various other qualifications that you should evaluate when comparing 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 training programs are available.

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Esthetician Degrees

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 work toward an Associate's degree. Certificate programs typically require 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate's degree ordinarily 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 offered if you prefer to focus on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Lawrence MA business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master's degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you go with, it's important to make sure that it's approved by the Massachusetts Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next section.

Online Esthetics Classes

Online esthetician schools are convenient for Lawrence MA students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs available that can be attended via a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are often fast paced given that many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you're not spending numerous hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's essential that the program you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's impossible to acquire the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Training Classes

Following is a list of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Lawrence home, in addition to the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want 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 initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's important to make certain that the esthetician school you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified 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 important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Lawrence MA employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation?  Every esthetician institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Lawrence 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 recommend others that you had not looked into. Finally, consult the Massachusetts school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty?  Some esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you pick a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your aspiration is to start a Lawrence MA beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Choosing a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Any Live Training Provided?  Practicing and mastering esthetician skills and techniques involves lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty program furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best option for acquiring your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's important that he or she receives help in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer help maintain relationships with Lawrence MA employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered?  Almost all esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. 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 offered to students as well. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an option before you determine what financial help may be offered.

Learn How to Become an Esthetician in Lawrence

Enroll in the Best Lawrence Esthetician Training

Selecting and enrolling in the right esthetician program is important to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Don't forget to collect all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the college and program you pick are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are ready to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Lawrence Massachusetts.

 

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