It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Esthetician Career Below!
Questions to Ask Aesthetician Schools
Following is a series of questions that you need to research for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Jamestown residence, as well as the cost of tuition, will most likely be your initial 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 choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final selection.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's important to make sure that the esthetician school you select 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 comply with their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often 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 concluding benefit, many Jamestown NY employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may 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 excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Jamestown NY salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. Finally, consult the New York school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full 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, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you decide on a school that specializes in 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 respected for that program. If your dream is to start a Jamestown NY beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct 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 provide the training you require.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty academy furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best option for developing your skills. Therefore look for other schools that furnish this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's imperative that she or he gets help in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide aid maintain relationships with Jamestown NY businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Almost all esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and identify 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 accessible to students as well. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not discard it as an alternative until you learn what financial assistance may be available.