How to Choose the Right Esthetician School Near Southaven Mississippi
Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Southaven MS, the task begins to find and enroll in the best program. It's important that the school you select not only provides the proper training for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be somewhat puzzled about the contrast 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 anticipate commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Southaven residence. Tuition will likewise be an important factor when assessing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it's not always the ideal option. There are several other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the aesthetician schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let's talk a little bit about what kinds of training programs are available.
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Esthetics Certificates and Degrees
There are primarily two avenues offered to obtain esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate's degree. Certificate programs generally call for 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate's degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you prefer to specialize in just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also probably include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Southaven MS business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master's degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you opt for, it's important to make certain that it's recognized by the Mississippi Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming section.
Online Esthetician Courses
Online esthetician programs are advantageous for Southaven MS students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed through a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional beauty schools are frequently fast paced since many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it's important that the training program you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's difficult to acquire the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Aesthetician Training Classes
Following is a series of questions that you need to research for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Southaven home, together with the price of tuition, will undoubtedly 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 initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's necessary to make sure that the esthetician training program you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently 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 concluding benefit, a number of Southaven MS businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews together with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Southaven MS salon owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. And last, contact the Mississippi school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering 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 important that you decide on a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your dream is to open a Southaven MS beauty salon, then you need 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 pursuing will not deliver the training you require.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Learning 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 classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty academy furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for developing your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's crucial that she or he gets support in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help develop relationships with Southaven MS businesses that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Many esthetician schools provide 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 learn what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students too. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not drop it as an option before you find out what financial assistance may be offered.
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Enroll in the Best Southaven Esthetician Course
Picking and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is important to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to collect all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you select are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Southaven Mississippi.
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