How to Choose the Best Aesthetician College Near Bedford New York
Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Bedford NY, the task begins to find and enroll in the best program. It's important that the school you choose not only furnishes the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may be rather confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Bedford home. Tuition will additionally be a critical consideration when evaluating potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it's not automatically the ideal option. There are many other factors that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a little bit about what types of programs are available.
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Esthetician Degrees
There are essentially two pathways offered to obtain esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate's degree. Certificate programs usually 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 each of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Bedford NY business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master's degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you go with, it's important to make certain that it's recognized by the New York Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next section.
Online Esthetician Training
Online esthetician classes are accommodating for Bedford NY students who are working full time and have family commitments that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed through a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are often fast paced because many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not spending many hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. On the other hand, it's imperative that the program you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it's difficult to gain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Esthetician Programs
Following is a list of questions that you should research for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Bedford residence, as well as the cost of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue 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 need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have put together several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's important to make sure that the esthetician training program you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified 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 assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically 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 final benefit, many Bedford NY employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Bedford NY salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. And last, contact the New York 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? A number of 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, 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 decide on a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your goal 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 aspiration is to start a Bedford NY 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 rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and mastering esthetician skills and techniques requires lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best option for acquiring your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's essential that she or he gets aid in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide aid maintain relationships with Bedford NY employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students too. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not omit it as an alternative before you find out what financial help may be available.
Find Out How to Become an Esthetician in Bedford
Enroll in the Right Bedford Esthetician Program
Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is imperative to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to compile all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the academy and program you decide on are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, 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 examination, you will be self-assured that you are ready to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Bedford New York.