How to Pick the Right Aesthetician School Near Horn Lake Mississippi
Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Horn Lake MS, the task begins to find and enroll in the best program. It's important that the school you pick not only furnishes the necessary instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you might be a little bit unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Horn Lake home. Tuition will also be a critical factor when evaluating potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it's not always the right choice. There are a number of other qualifications that you should weigh when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the aesthetician schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let's talk a bit about what types of training programs are available.
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Esthetician Degrees
There are essentially two options 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 normally take 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 each of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you want to specialize in just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Horn Lake MS business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master's degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you opt for, it's imperative to make sure that it's certified by the Mississippi Board of Cosmetology. Many states only approve schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming section.
Online Esthetics Schools
Online esthetician schools are accommodating for Horn Lake MS students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs available that can be attended through a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty programs are typically fast paced given that many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or commuting to and from classes. However, it's important that the training program you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's impossible to obtain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Esthetician Training Courses
Below is a series of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Horn Lake residence, in addition to the expense of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to earn 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 program. Below we have collected some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's important to make sure that the esthetician college you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized 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 assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Horn Lake MS employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Horn Lake MS salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. Finally, contact the Mississippi 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? Many 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, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you pick a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your objective is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your vision is to launch a Horn Lake MS 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 weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty academy provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. So look for other schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's important that she or he receives help in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance develop relationships with Horn Lake MS employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Many esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and identify 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 available to students too. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an alternative until you determine what financial assistance may be provided.
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Enroll in the Right Horn Lake Esthetician Program
Choosing and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is imperative to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Make certain to organize all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you decide on are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are ready to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Horn Lake Mississippi.
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