How to Pick the Best Esthetician Course Near Clemmons North Carolina
Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Clemmons NC, the task begins to find and enroll in the best program. It's essential that the program you choose not only furnishes the necessary education for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you might be somewhat puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Clemmons home. Tuition will also be a critical consideration when assessing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not always the ideal choice. There are several other qualifications that you should weigh when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let's talk a little bit about what kinds of programs are available.
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Esthetics Degrees
There are essentially two options offered to obtain esthetician training and a credential after 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 complete, 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 major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you wish to concentrate on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also most likely incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Clemmons NC business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master's degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you choose, it's imperative to make sure that it's approved by the North Carolina Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following section.
Online Esthetics Schools
Online esthetician programs are convenient for Clemmons NC students who are working full-time and have family commitments that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed via a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are typically fast paced given that many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it's important that the school you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's impossible to acquire the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So don't forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Esthetics Degree Programs
Following is a series of questions that you will want to research for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Clemmons home, together with the expense of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.
Is the Esthetician Program 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 acknowledged local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered 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 Clemmons NC employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Clemmons NC salon owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And finally, check with the North Carolina school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing 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 imperative that you enroll in 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 aspiration is to start a Clemmons NC beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator as well. Selecting a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician skills and techniques involves lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty academy provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for other schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's essential that she or he receives aid in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid develop relationships with Clemmons NC businesses that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Almost all 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 find out what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students too. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not discard it as an alternative before you determine what financial aid may be available.
More Info on How to Become an Aesthetician in Clemmons
Enroll in the Best Clemmons Esthetician Training
Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician college is imperative to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Clemmons North Carolina.
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