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Questions to Ask Aesthetician Trade Schools
Below is a list of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Creve Coeur residence, as well as the expense of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have put together several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's essential to make certain that the esthetician school you enroll in 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 measure up to their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Creve Coeur MO businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews along with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Creve Coeur MO salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. Finally, contact the Missouri school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? 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 important that you select a school that focuses on 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 aspiration is to open a Creve Coeur MO 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 regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for developing your skills. Therefore look for other schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's essential that she or he gets help in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer help maintain relationships with Creve Coeur MO employers that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. 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 accessible to students too. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an option until you learn what financial help may be available.