It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Esthetician Career Below!
Questions to Ask Esthetics Programs
Following is a list of questions that you should look into for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Mount Pleasant residence, in addition to the expense of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly 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 need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have put together several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's important to make certain that the esthetician college 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 comply with their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available 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 Mount Pleasant MI businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers 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 relationships with Mount Pleasant MI salon owners or managers, or anyone 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. And finally, check with the Michigan 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? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you enroll in 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 dream is to start a Mount Pleasant MI beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Picking a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and refining esthetician skills and techniques requires lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best option for developing your skills. So try to find other 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 crucial that he or she receives aid in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develop relationships with Mount Pleasant MI employers that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? The majority of esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may 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 fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not omit it as an option before you learn what financial assistance may be provided.