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What to Ask Aesthetician Trade Schools
Following is a series of questions that you should investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Montgomery home, together with the price of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's essential to make certain that the esthetician training program you select 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically 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 concluding benefit, many Montgomery PA employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Montgomery PA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. And last, check with the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you pick a school that focuses on 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 desire is to start a Montgomery PA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Selecting a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology lessons 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 academy provides limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for other schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's important that she or he gets assistance in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with Montgomery PA employers that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Most esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may qualify 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 satisfies each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an option before you determine what financial assistance may be provided.