It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Esthetician Career Below!
What to Ask Esthetician Degree Programs
Below is a series of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Oak Park residence, as well as the expense of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's necessary to make sure that the esthetician training program you enroll in 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 meet their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently 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, a number of Oak Park MI employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. 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, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews along with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Oak Park MI salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And last, check with the Michigan school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? 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 commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you enroll in 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 respected for that program. If your desire is to launch a Oak Park MI beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator as well. Choosing a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on people. 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 allow students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty school offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best option for cultivating your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that furnish this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's important that she or he gets assistance in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide aid develop relationships with Oak Park MI employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Most esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and learn 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 accessible to students as well. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not omit it as an alternative until you learn what financial assistance may be offered.