Esthetician Cosmetology School
How to Select the Best One Near Dothan Alabama

Now that you have made the decision to become an esthetician, you must enroll in the best esthetician school near Dothan AL to receive your training. It's essential that the program you select not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. You might be a little confused when beginning your search for esthetician classes as to the difference between beauty and cosmetology schools, which both offer esthetician training. Well don't be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. You will want to find a school that is within reasonable commuting distance of your residence unless you can relocate for training. An additional qualification when examining prospective esthetician schools is the cost of tuition. However, a school is not always the right option simply because it has the lowest tuition or is located closest to your home. Reputation and accreditation, for example are two of the other qualifications that you need to evaluate when comparing schools. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let's talk a little bit about what kinds of courses are offered.

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Esthetics Degrees and Certificates

There are basically two options offered to obtain esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate's degree. Certificate programs usually call for 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate's degree usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you want to specialize in just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Dothan AL business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master's degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you go with, it's imperative to make sure that it's certified by the Alabama 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 discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the following section.

Online Esthetics Courses

Online esthetician classes are accommodating for Dothan AL students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be attended via a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional beauty programs are frequently fast paced since many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you're not spending numerous hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it's vital that the school you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it's impossible to obtain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So don't forget if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Training Courses

Following is a list of questions that you should investigate for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Dothan home, together with the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's essential to make certain that the esthetician training program you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Dothan AL employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation?  Any esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials 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. Visit rating companies for reviews along with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Dothan AL salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. And finally, contact the Alabama school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty?  Many esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you pick a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your ambition 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 dream is to launch a Dothan AL beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided?  Learning and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty program provides little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. So search for other schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's important that he or she gets aid in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance develop relationships with Dothan AL employers that are seeking qualified 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. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered?  Almost all esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Speak with 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 available to students also. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not drop it as an alternative before you determine what financial help may be offered.

Find Out More about Training to Become an Esthetician in Dothan

Enroll in the Right Dothan Esthetician Training

Choosing and enrolling in the right esthetician program near Dothan AL is imperative to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to organize all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you pick are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, 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 examination, you will be confident that you are ready to start your career as a professional esthetician.

 

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