How to Pick the Best Aesthetician School Near Colonial Heights Virginia

Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Colonial Heights VA, the process starts to locate and enroll in the ideal program. It's imperative that the school you choose not only provides the proper training for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be somewhat confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Colonial Heights residence. Tuition will additionally be an important consideration when evaluating prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it's not always the best option. There are various other factors that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the aesthetician schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let's talk a little bit about what types of programs are offered.

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Esthetics Certificates and Degrees

There are basically two avenues offered to get esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward 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 major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you prefer to focus on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also most likely incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Colonial Heights VA business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master's degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you decide on, it's imperative to make certain that it's certified by the Virginia Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the next segment.

Online Esthetician Classes

Online esthetician programs are advantageous for Colonial Heights VA students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty schools are typically fast paced since many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's important that the program you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure 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 needed to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So don't forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Aesthetician Degree Programs

Following is a series of questions that you should investigate for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Colonial Heights residence, in addition to the price of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's necessary 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which often 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, many Colonial Heights VA employers will not recruit 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 school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Colonial Heights VA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. And last, contact the Virginia school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty?  Many esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you choose 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 well regarded for that program. If your desire is to open a Colonial Heights VA beauty salon, then you need 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 weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.

Is Any Live Training Provided?  Learning and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty school provides limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. So look for alternate schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's imperative that she or he gets help in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with Colonial Heights VA businesses that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered?  The majority of esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing 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 accessible to students as well. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not omit it as an alternative until you find out what financial help may be provided.

Learn How to Become an Esthetician in Colonial Heights

Enroll in the Best Colonial Heights Esthetician Training

Finding and enrolling in the right esthetician school is imperative to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to organize all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are ready to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Colonial Heights Virginia.

 

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