How to Select the Right Esthetician Program Near Greensboro North Carolina

Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Greensboro NC, the task starts to find and enroll in the best program. It's essential that the school you choose not only provides the proper education for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be a little bit unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Greensboro home. Tuition will likewise be a critical aspect when evaluating prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not always the right option. There are various other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for example 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 discuss a little bit about what types of programs are offered.

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Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

There are essentially two options offered to receive esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate's degree. Certificate programs generally call for 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 all of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you want to specialize in just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Greensboro NC business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master's degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you choose, it's imperative to make sure that it's certified by the North Carolina Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve 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 choose in the next segment.

Online Esthetician Programs

Online esthetician schools are accommodating for Greensboro NC students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs available that can be attended by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional beauty programs are typically fast paced since many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not spending many hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's important that the training program you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it's difficult to acquire the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Trade Schools

Following is a list of questions that you need to research for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Greensboro home, together with the price 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 even more factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's essential to make sure that the esthetician training program you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards assuring a quality 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 final benefit, a number of Greensboro NC businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation?  Each esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews along with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Greensboro NC salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. 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 total compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus?  Some esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you select a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your ambition 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 Greensboro NC beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Choosing a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.

Is Any Live Training Provided?  Learning and refining esthetician skills and techniques demands lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty school provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's essential that she or he gets assistance in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develop relationships with Greensboro NC employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm 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. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and find out 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 too. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an alternative until you find out what financial aid may be offered.

Find Out How to Become an Esthetician in Greensboro

Enroll in the Right Greensboro Esthetician Course

Finding and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is essential to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to consolidate all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you select are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are ready to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Greensboro North Carolina.

 

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