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Questions to Ask Esthetics Degree Programs
Below is a series of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Fair Oaks home, together with the price of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled some of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's necessary to make sure that the esthetician school you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Fair Oaks VA businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Fair Oaks VA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. Finally, contact the Virginia school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you decide on a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your objective 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 dream is to start a Fair Oaks VA beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Picking a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty academy provides limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the best option for cultivating your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that furnish 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 she or he gets aid in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish help develop relationships with Fair Oaks VA employers that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Almost all esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask 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 offered to students also. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not omit it as an alternative until you learn what financial help may be available.