How to Select the Best Aesthetician Program Near Greenville South Carolina
Once 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 right program. It's important that the program you choose not only furnishes the appropriate training for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be a little bit unclear 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 intend on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Greenville residence. Tuition will additionally be an important factor when reviewing possible 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 several other considerations that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the aesthetician schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let's talk a bit about what kinds of training programs are available.
It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Esthetician Career Below!
Esthetician Certificates and Degrees
There are essentially two options 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 generally call for 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate's degree ordinarily takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you prefer to focus on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also probably include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Greenville SC business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master's degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you choose, it's important to make sure that it's certified by the South Carolina Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming segment.
Online Esthetics Courses
Online esthetician schools are convenient for Greenville SC students who are working full-time and have family commitments that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional beauty programs are typically fast paced because many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you're not spending many hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it's essential that the school you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's impossible to obtain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Esthetician Degree Programs
Following is a series of questions that you should look into for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Greenville residence, in addition to the price of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those initial 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 several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's important to make sure that the esthetician school you enroll in 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 ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Greenville SC employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every esthetician college 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 testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Greenville SC salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And last, contact the South Carolina 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 Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you choose a school that focuses on 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 respected for that program. If your vision is to open 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. Choosing a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Studying and refining esthetician techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty program offers little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. So search for alternate schools that furnish this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's crucial that she or he receives aid in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with Greenville SC businesses that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance 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 get approved 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 omit it as an alternative before you find out what financial help may be available.
Learn How to Become an Esthetician in Greenville
Enroll in the Right Greenville Esthetician Training
Finding and enrolling in the right esthetician college is imperative to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to collect all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the academy and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to start your career as a professional esthetician in Greenville South Carolina.
Greenville Esthetician Classes Near Me | Greenville Aesthetician Schools