It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Esthetician Career Below!
What to Ask Esthetics Trade Schools
Below is a series of questions that you need to research for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Sunnyside home, as well as the price of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you want 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 initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the Esthetician School 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 certified local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Sunnyside WA 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 institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Sunnyside WA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, 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. And finally, contact the Washington 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 Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you pick 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 respected for that program. If your dream is to open a Sunnyside WA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator as well. Picking a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Practicing and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty school provides limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's imperative that she or he gets help in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide aid maintain relationships with Sunnyside WA businesses that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Many esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Speak with 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 available to students also. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not drop it as an option until you find out what financial help may be available.