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What to Ask Esthetician Degree Programs
Below is a series of questions that you will want to research for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your South Kingstown home, as well as the cost of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish 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 should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have collected some of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's important to make sure that the esthetician training program you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many South Kingstown RI businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably 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 excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews along with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with South Kingstown RI salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. Finally, contact the Rhode Island school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing 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 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 well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to launch a South Kingstown RI 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 poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Learning and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty program offers limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on using mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for developing your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's important that he or she receives support in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with South Kingstown RI employers that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Almost all esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students as well. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not discard it as an option before you determine what financial aid may be available.