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Questions to Ask Aesthetician Trade Schools
Following is a series of questions that you should look into for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your San Angelo home, as well as the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's important to make certain that the esthetician college you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized 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 ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many San Angelo TX businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent 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, attesting that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with San Angelo TX salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. And last, check with the Texas school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing 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 typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you decide on a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your vision is to open a San Angelo TX 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 ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty program provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's imperative that he or she gets aid in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid develop relationships with San Angelo TX employers that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have wide 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. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and learn 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 offered to students also. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an option until you learn what financial aid may be provided.