How to Select the Right Aesthetician Training Near Chapel Hill North Carolina

Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Chapel Hill NC, the task begins to search for and enroll in the ideal program. It's essential that the school you choose not only provides the necessary education for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be somewhat unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Chapel Hill home. Tuition will also be a critical factor when assessing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it's not necessarily the best choice. There are several other considerations that you should weigh when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let's talk a bit about what types of courses are available.

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Esthetician Degrees

There are basically two options offered to get 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 generally require 12 to 18 months to finish, 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. Shorter programs are available if you wish to specialize in just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Chapel Hill NC business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master's degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you opt for, it's imperative to make certain that it's certified by the North Carolina Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming section.

Online Esthetics Classes

Online esthetician schools are convenient for Chapel Hill NC students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed through a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are typically fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you're not spending numerous hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it's important that the training program you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's difficult to acquire the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Aesthetician Schools

Following is a list of questions that you should look into for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Chapel Hill home, as well as the expense of tuition, will most likely be your first 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 initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's important to make certain 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Chapel Hill NC businesses 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?  Every esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Chapel Hill NC salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. And finally, check with the North Carolina school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in complete 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, offering training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you enroll in 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 respected for that program. If your vision is to start a Chapel Hill NC beauty salon, then you need 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 seeking will not provide the training you require.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided?  Studying and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program offers limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best option for developing your skills. So look for other schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's imperative that he or she receives aid in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance develop relationships with Chapel Hill NC employers that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered?  Almost all esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may 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 satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not omit it as an alternative before you learn what financial help may be provided.

Learn How to Become an Aesthetician in Chapel Hill

Enroll in the Right Chapel Hill Esthetician Training

Finding and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is imperative to obtain the appropriate 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. Don't forget to organize all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you pick are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are prepared to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Chapel Hill North Carolina.

 

Chapel Hill Aesthetician Schools Near Me | Chapel Hill Esthetician Schools Near Me