How to Find the Best Esthetician School Near Greenville South Carolina

Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Greenville SC, the process starts to find and enroll in the ideal program. It's essential that the school you select not only furnishes the proper training for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be a little bit puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Greenville residence. Tuition will additionally be a critical consideration when assessing potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it's not automatically the ideal option. There are a number of other considerations that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let's talk a little bit about what types of programs are offered.

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Esthetician Degrees and Certificates

There are basically two pathways offered to get esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate's degree. Certificate programs normally take 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate's degree ordinarily takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you wish to specialize in just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Greenville SC business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master's degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you decide on, it's important to make sure that it's approved by the South Carolina Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next section.

Online Esthetics Training

Online esthetician programs are accommodating for Greenville SC students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are many online cosmetology school programs available that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are often fast paced since many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not spending many hours outside of your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it's vital that the training program you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's difficult to gain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Aesthetician Training Programs

Below is a list of questions that you will want to look into for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Greenville residence, together with the price of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish 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 additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's essential to make sure that the esthetician training program you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Greenville SC businesses will not recruit 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 institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Greenville SC salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. Finally, consult the South Carolina school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty?  A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you choose a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your vision is to start a Greenville SC 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 rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.

Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided?  Learning and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty academy offers little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best option for cultivating your skills. So try to find other schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  Once a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's essential that she or he receives aid in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide aid maintain relationships with Greenville SC employers that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Available?  Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Talk to 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 accessible to students also. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not omit it as an alternative before you determine what financial help may be available.

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Enroll in the Right Greenville Esthetician Training

Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician college is imperative to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Don't forget to organize all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the school and program you select are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are qualified to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Greenville South Carolina.

 

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