It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Esthetician Career Below!
Questions to Ask Esthetics Training Programs
Following is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Lexington home, as well as the expense of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to earn 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 even more factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have put together several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's important to make certain that the esthetician training program you pick 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Lexington MA businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Lexington MA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. Finally, check with the Massachusetts school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you decide on a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to start a Lexington MA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator as well. Choosing a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and refining esthetician techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school provides little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for developing your skills. So look for other schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's crucial that she or he receives support in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance maintain relationships with Lexington MA businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance 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. 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 available to students as well. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not omit it as an option until you learn what financial help may be offered.