Right about this time last year, I finally decided I wanted to officially become an esthetician and was in the process of figuring out where I wanted to go to beauty school.  I didn’t really know what questions were important to ask – all I knew was that I had a dream and getting my esthetics license would get me on my way.  Without asking the right questions, I ended up paying way too much (almost 20 grand including interest) to a private school and not getting the quality of education I expected to receive at that rate.  I’ve outlined some questions to ask that may point you in the right direction as you pursue the fabulous world of esthetics.

1. Is the esthetics school accredited?  This is important for obvious reasons, right?  But just in case – accredited esthetics schools are recognized throughout the various associations and schools in the field.
2. Does the esthetics school provide the number of hours needed for taking your state esthetician license?  For California, you need to complete 600 hours of esthetics school as well as a minimum number of hands-on practice.
3. Is their curriculum balanced with practical and theory hours?  Practical hours are hours spent practicing esthetics – waxing, makeup, facials, etc.  Theory hours are dedicated to learning about your craft through classroom-style strategies – books, magazines, lectures, etc.
4. Do they have a spa and how many hours are you expected to work in the spa?  The busier the spa is, the more opportunity you will have to complete your required hands-on practice as well as give you a feel for working with real-world clients (or at least clients who want a deal and are willing to risk their money on those in-training).
5. Are you able to talk with students who have graduated or who are in the process of training?  This may or may not help.  If you are in front of the admissions rep and you do this, the current student may feel obligated or pressured to help give the school a good name.  My recommendation is to find someone who graduated from the school on your own and interview them for the most honest review.
6. Does the school have job placement assistance?  The school I went to did, but I found that I had to initiate contact with the admissions rep to get that information.  There wasn’t a posting board to check for opportunities.   Politics came into play at times, so make sure to be kind to everyone you meet and interact with.
7. Do they offer continued education once you have graduated?  Once I graduated, I still felt like I needed to learn more things – like eyelash extensions, makeup techniques, airbrush tanning, etc.  My school didn’t (doesn’t) offer these specialized classes, (and I don’t believe most schools will) so I ended up having to dish out more money to invest in more education after-the-fact.
8. Is it convenient to your home and have times available which will work in your schedule?  This is a plus, but some girls in my class travelled 25 – 50 miles to get to school.  I only lived 10 minutes away which made it really convenient.  Since graduation is based on time, punctuality was very important, so don’t miss class and don’t be late.
9. Is the school recognized as a quality establishment by your potential employers?  This was something that the admissions rep pointed out to me about their school.   However important this is, it’s also important to keep in mind that paying an additional $5,000 isn’t worth it.  Choose the school based on reputation and your total investment.
10. Does the school offer an overview of medical procedures such as lasers and injectibles so you can stay current?  In the ever-changing esthetics world that we’re in today, this is more relevant than ever.  The school I went to promised to teach us body treatments, but the entire time I was there, the body capsule was “broken” and never repaired.  I was there for 6 months. 

If you are considering going to Federico’s Career Colleges in Fresno, CA and would like to know more about my experience there, I encourage you to leave a comment or message.  I would be more than happy to help you on your way and share with you my experience as a student there.   If you’re just curious about the whole process and you’re in California, just ask and I’ll tell as much as I know.  Hope this helps!