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What to Ask Esthetician Schools
Below is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Keizer residence, together with the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial 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 need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's important to make sure that the esthetician college you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Keizer OR employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Keizer OR salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. And last, consult the Oregon school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Many 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 instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you decide on a school that focuses on 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 well regarded for that program. If your desire is to open a Keizer OR beauty salon, then you want 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 poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Studying and mastering esthetician skills and techniques demands lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty school provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for other schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's crucial that he or she receives help in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid develop relationships with Keizer OR employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and ask 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 respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Almost all esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and learn 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 accessible to students also. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not drop it as an option before you learn what financial help may be offered.