How to Pick the Best Esthetician School Near Lower Merion Pennsylvania

Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Lower Merion PA, the process begins to find and enroll in the ideal program. It's important that the program you choose not only furnishes the necessary training for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you may be rather unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Lower Merion home. Tuition will also be an important aspect when evaluating potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it's not always the best choice. There are a number of other qualifications that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what kinds of programs are offered.

It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Esthetician Career Below!

Esthetician Degrees

There are essentially two avenues available to receive 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 normally call for 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate's degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you wish to focus on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Lower Merion PA business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master's degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you choose, it's important to make certain that it's certified by the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology. Many states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming segment.

Online Esthetics Schools

Online esthetician classes are convenient for Lower Merion PA students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based beauty school programs offered that can be attended through a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are often fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you're not spending many hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's important that the program you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a complete 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 make sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Schools

Below is a series of questions that you should research for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Lower Merion residence, in addition to the expense of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have collected some of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's necessary to make certain that the esthetician training program you enroll in 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable 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 Lower Merion PA employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation?  Any esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Lower Merion PA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to propose others that you had not considered. Finally, consult the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances 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, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you choose a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your goal is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your dream is to start a Lower Merion PA 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 regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided?  Learning and refining esthetician skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for developing your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  Once a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's essential that he or she receives aid in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide aid maintain relationships with Lower Merion PA employers that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered?  Most esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students as well. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an option until you determine what financial aid may be available.

Find Out How to Become an Esthetician in Lower Merion

Enroll in the Right Lower Merion Esthetician Training

Locating and enrolling in the right esthetician school is imperative to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to organize all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the academy and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional 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 right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Lower Merion Pennsylvania.

 

Lower Merion Esthetician Programs | Lower Merion How To Become An Esthetician