Distance education has become incredibly popular and more widespread than you might imagine. Virtually any education can now be had online, including learning the skills necessary to become a cosmetologist or esthetician. Is attending beauty school online a good choice for you? Actually, it might be a very good solution to your education need, but you’ll need to know a few things before leaping into online learning.
Are You a Self-Starter?
One of the most important things you need to understand is that the online learning environment is very different from the traditional classroom setting. You will not have a teacher standing over you, nor will you have any other motivational factors to ensure that you complete your coursework in a timely manner. Make sure that you are a self-starter before enrolling in a beauty school online. If you cannot motivate yourself to complete your classes every day, attending a traditional school might be a better option.
The In-Person Component
One of the things you will learn about online beauty courses is that not everything can be completed in the virtual environment. There will be at least some in-person work required to ensure that you have hands-on training with the tools and supplies you’ll be using every day. Make sure that the school you choose has a physical campus/salon within a short distance of your home. Any beauty school with online courses should also help you gain the real-world experience you need, so double check that the schools you are considering do have a program in place for this (some schools don’t, while others don’t have their own salon, but partner with area businesses).
Accreditation Still Matters
Just because you’re attending an online course, it doesn’t mean that accreditation no longer matters. If anything, it’s more important. Make sure that any beauty school with online courses you consider is accredited and complies with your state’s specific licensing regulations. Accreditation ensures that you are indeed getting at least the basic training required (unaccredited schools should be avoided).
Take your time when considering online courses. While more widespread than ever before, they’re far from being all the same. Just as you would investigate any traditional school you were considering, take the time to vet any online education providers. Pay close attention to accreditation, physical training provided and the duration of their courses.
