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Questions to Ask Aesthetician Training Programs
Following is a series of questions that you should research for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Chapel Hill home, as well as the cost of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's essential to make sure that the esthetician school you enroll in 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 ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Chapel Hill NC businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. 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, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews along with 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 may even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. Finally, contact the North Carolina school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints 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, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you select a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your ambition 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 open a Chapel Hill NC 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 poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Learning and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques involves lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty program offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. So search for other schools that furnish this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's imperative that she or he gets help in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish aid maintain relationships with Chapel Hill NC businesses that are seeking skilled 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. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Many esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out 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 qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students also. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not discard it as an option before you learn what financial help may be provided.