So you’ve decided to become an esthetician! That’s a smart decision to make and you can look forward to an exciting, lucrative and fun career, with plenty of prospects for advancement. Your job can take you anywhere in the world and if you cut the grade, you could earn name and fame, working for the rich and famous in Hollywood, London or Paris.

Everything hinges on choosing the best esthetician school.

Your training, expertise, knowledge, and experience are what matters in this profession. That’s why it’s important to make sure you get the right certification, licenses and professional qualifications.

To select the right school and course, here are some handy hints that will help you:

• Analyze your needs, preferences, career goals and budgetary limitations. This helps you to figure out which sector you’d like to specialize in. For instance, some people prefer to work with makeup artistry only. They can choose a school that offers a general curriculum with a specialization in cosmetology and makeup.
• Are you truly committed to this career? Do you have the passion, determination, and motivation?
• Get recommendations from trustworthy sources, professionals in the field and narrow your choices down to a shortlist.
• Check the school’s accreditation, affiliation, reputation and peer reviews. Do they offer a degree, diploma or certificate? Will the certification be valid in other states/countries?
• Evaluate your finances and match them against the tuition fees, advanced courses, and certifications. Top-of-the-range schools charge high fees, but it’s worthwhile going through them. Plan ahead to take loans, federal financial aid, ask about scholarships, easy payment terms, discounts.
• Choose all-round courses. The best esthetician schools provide additional classes in grooming, etiquette, personal hygiene/safety, business management, accounting and communication skills.
• Visit the campus. Don’t fall for schools that don’t have a street address or a landline phone number. Choose a local school so that you get a license/certificate that allows you to practice in your local area. Online courses require practical sessions. Check these facilities for yourself.
• Research the instructors. Are they qualified, accredited, licensed and do they have a good reputation?
• Ask about post-study options. Do they offer placement, help with setting up your own business and/or continuing support?
• Do they offer continuing education courses in technologies like laser? Can you take courses that allow you to teach Esthetics professionally?

If the school provides satisfactory answers to all your queries, this is the right school for you! The best esthetician schools would definitely score high in all the above areas.