It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Esthetician Career Below!
What to Ask Esthetician Trade Schools
Following is a list of questions that you will want to look into for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your North Royalton residence, together with the price of tuition, will probably be your first 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 choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's important to make sure that the esthetician college you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of North Royalton OH businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. 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, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with North Royalton OH salon owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And last, contact the Ohio school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you decide on a school that focuses on 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 vision is to start a North Royalton OH 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 ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and mastering esthetician skills and techniques involves lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty school furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best option for acquiring your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's important that he or she gets aid in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer aid maintain relationships with North Royalton OH employers that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering 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 confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Many esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students as well. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not drop it as an alternative before you learn what financial aid may be available.