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What to Ask Aesthetician Training Programs
Following is a list of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Peters residence, as well as the expense of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably 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 must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's important to make sure that the esthetician school you choose 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 meet their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered 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 Peters PA businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews together with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Peters PA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. And last, contact the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you enroll in a school that specializes in 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 respected for that program. If your desire is to launch a Peters PA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator as well. Choosing a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Studying and mastering esthetician skills and techniques demands lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty program offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. So try to find other schools that furnish this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's essential that he or she gets aid in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develop relationships with Peters PA employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Almost all esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students as well. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not drop it as an alternative before you learn what financial help may be provided.