How to Enroll In the Right Esthetician College Near Winston Salem North Carolina
Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Winston Salem NC, the task begins to locate and enroll in the best program. It's important that the program you pick not only furnishes the appropriate education for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may be somewhat puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Winston Salem residence. Tuition will additionally be an important aspect when evaluating potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it's not always the best choice. There are various other considerations that you should weigh when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let's talk a little bit about what kinds of programs are offered.
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Esthetician Degrees and Certificates
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 work toward an Associate's degree. Certificate programs usually require 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate's degree usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you wish to specialize in just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Winston Salem 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. Whichever type of training program you go with, it's important to make certain that it's approved by the North Carolina Board of Cosmetology. Many states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming segment.
Online Esthetics Training
Online esthetician schools are advantageous for Winston Salem NC students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are many online cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed via a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are typically fast paced because many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not devoting many hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it's essential that the training program you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's impossible to gain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So don't forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Aesthetician Training Programs
Following is a series of questions that you will want to research for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Winston Salem home, as well as the cost of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have put together some of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's essential to make sure that the esthetician school you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Winston Salem NC businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews along with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Winston Salem NC salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And last, contact the North Carolina school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you pick a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your goal is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your dream is to start a Winston Salem NC beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator as well. Selecting a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty school provides limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's essential that she or he receives assistance in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide assistance maintain relationships with Winston Salem NC businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students also. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an option until you determine what financial aid may be offered.
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Enroll in the Best Winston Salem Esthetician Course
Picking and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is imperative to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to collect all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the school and program you decide on are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Winston Salem North Carolina.
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