Esthetician Cosmetology School
How to Choose the Best One Near Chandler Arizona

Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Chandler AZ, the process starts to find and enroll in the right program. Since estheticians are required to be licensed in all 50 states, the school you choose should prep you to pass the licensing exam and provide the proper training for your specialty. When you start your preliminary search, you might be rather puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Since the names are for all practical purposes interchangeable and pertain to the same type of school, you shouldn’t be. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Chandler residence. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when reviewing potential schools. But keep in mind, a school is not always the right choice just because it happens to have a campus near your home or is lower in cost. There are several other factors that you should weigh when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what types of training programs are available.

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Esthetics Degrees and Certificates

There are primarily two options available to obtain esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate's degree. Certificate programs usually require 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate's degree ordinarily takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you want to focus on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also most likely incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Chandler AZ business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master's degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you go with, it's essential to make sure that it's certified by the Arizona Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the following segment.

Esthetician Online Courses

Online esthetician programs are advantageous for Chandler AZ students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended through a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are often fast paced because many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you're not devoting many hours outside of your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it's imperative that the program you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it's difficult to acquire the skills required 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 provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Schools

Below is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Chandler home, together with the cost of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt 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 program. Below we have put together some of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's important to make certain that the esthetician training program you enroll in 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 comply with their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Chandler AZ businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation?  Each esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Check rating services for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Chandler AZ salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to propose others that you had not considered. Finally, check with the Arizona school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty?  A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating 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 typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you select a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your goal 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 Chandler AZ beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided?  Studying and refining esthetician skills and techniques involves lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty courses you will be attending. Some 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 instead depends heavily on using mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for developing your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's important that she or he gets help in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develop relationships with Chandler AZ businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses 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 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 find out what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students too. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an option before you determine what financial aid may be provided.

Find Out More on Becoming an Esthetician in Chandler

Choose the Right Chandler Esthetician Training

Choosing and enrolling in the right esthetician college near Chandler AZ is essential to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Make certain to collect all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to contrast schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, 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 ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are qualified to begin your new career as a professional esthetician.

 

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