How to Select the Right Esthetician Course Near Freeport New York

Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Freeport NY, the task begins to locate and enroll in the best program. It's imperative that the program you select not only furnishes the proper training for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you might be rather unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Freeport residence. Tuition will also be an important aspect when assessing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not necessarily the ideal choice. There are various other factors that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let's talk a little bit about what types of courses are available.

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Esthetics Degrees

There are essentially two pathways available to receive esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate's degree. Certificate programs usually take 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate's degree usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you want to specialize in just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Freeport NY business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master's degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you opt for, it's important to make certain that it's approved by the New York Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming segment.

Online Esthetician Schools

Online esthetician classes are accommodating for Freeport NY students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed through a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are often fast paced because many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you're not spending numerous hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's imperative that the program you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's difficult to acquire the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Trade Schools

Below is a series of questions that you should investigate for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Freeport home, in addition to the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's essential to make certain that the esthetician school you select 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable 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 Freeport NY 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?  Any esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Freeport NY salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. And last, contact the New York school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty?  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 particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you enroll in 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 respected for that program. If your aspiration is to start a Freeport NY beauty salon, then you need 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 Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided?  Studying and mastering esthetician skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty school furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  When a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's important that she or he receives help in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid maintain relationships with Freeport NY businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs 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 affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance 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 might get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students as well. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not discard it as an option until you determine what financial aid may be provided.

Find Out How to Become an Aesthetician in Freeport

Enroll in the Best Freeport Esthetician Course

Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is imperative to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Don't forget to organize all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the school and program you decide on are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are ready to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Freeport New York.

 

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