How to Choose the Best Esthetician Training Program Near Saint Louis Missouri

Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Saint Louis MO, the task starts to locate and enroll in the right program. It's important that the program you pick not only furnishes the appropriate education for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may be a little bit puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Saint Louis residence. Tuition will also be an important factor when evaluating potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not always the right choice. There are a number of other qualifications that you should weigh when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what types of programs are offered.

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Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

There are essentially two avenues available to receive esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate's degree. Certificate programs normally call for 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 trained in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you want to specialize in just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also most likely incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Saint Louis MO business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master's degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you opt for, it's essential to make sure that it's certified by the Missouri Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming section.

Online Esthetics Classes

Online esthetician schools are convenient for Saint Louis MO students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online beauty school programs offered that can be attended by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional beauty schools are often fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you're not spending many hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's important that the school you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it's impossible to gain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Degree Programs

Following is a list 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 in relation to your Saint Louis residence, in addition to the price of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's essential to make sure that the esthetician school you select 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 acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Saint Louis MO employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively 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 profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements 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 services for reviews as well as the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Saint Louis MO salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And finally, check with the Missouri school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus?  Some esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you select a school that focuses on 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 well regarded for that program. If your dream is to start a Saint Louis MO beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Choosing a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided?  Learning and refining esthetician techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school offers little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. Therefore search for other schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  When a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's important that she or he receives aid in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid develop relationships with Saint Louis MO businesses that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered?  The majority of esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school is a member of 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 cost, do not eliminate it as an option until you determine what financial assistance may be provided.

Find Out How to Become an Esthetician in Saint Louis

Enroll in the Best Saint Louis Esthetician Course

Choosing and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is imperative to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to compile all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the school and program you select are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are prepared to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Saint Louis Missouri.

 

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