How to Pick the Best Esthetician Course Near Merrifield Virginia

Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Merrifield VA, the task begins to locate and enroll in the right program. It's essential that the program you select not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you might be rather puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Merrifield home. Tuition will likewise be an important aspect when evaluating prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it's not automatically the ideal option. There are various other factors that you should weigh when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the aesthetician schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let's talk a little bit about what types of training programs are available.

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Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

There are basically two options offered to get esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate's degree. Certificate programs normally require 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 all of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you prefer to specialize in just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Merrifield VA business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master's degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you choose, it's essential to make certain that it's approved by the Virginia Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming section.

Online Esthetician Training

Online esthetician classes are accommodating for Merrifield VA students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs offered that can be accessed via a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are often fast paced given that many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not spending numerous hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's imperative that the school you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's impossible to acquire the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Aesthetician Degree Programs

Below is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Merrifield home, as well as the cost of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary 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 supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's essential to make certain that the esthetician training program you choose 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 comply with their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Merrifield VA employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation?  Each esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Merrifield VA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. Finally, contact the Virginia 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 Focus?  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, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often 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 Merrifield VA 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 regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.

Is Enough Live Training Provided?  Practicing and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty school provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. So try to find alternate schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's crucial that he or she receives support in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide aid maintain relationships with Merrifield VA employers that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available?  The majority of esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and find out 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 offered to students as well. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you find out what financial help may be provided.

Find Out How to Become an Esthetician in Merrifield

Enroll in the Right Merrifield Esthetician Training

Choosing and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is imperative to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Make certain to organize all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on 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 college and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are ready to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Merrifield Virginia.

 

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