Don’t Become a Beauty School Dropout: Important Dos and Don’ts for Students
Interested in enrolling in beauty school? If so, then of course you want to prepare yourself so that you have the best chances for success. The last thing you want is to become a literal beauty-school dropout. Fortunately, there are all kinds of steps you can take to help prepare yourself for success in beauty school and well into your career. Just be sure to keep a few important dos and don’ts in mind.
DO Gain Relevant Experience While in School
Formal education is only going to teach you so much, which is why it’s good to expose yourself to as much relevant experience in the field as you can while in school. Yes, this might mean taking a less-than-glamorous job as a hair-washer or front-desk worker at your local hair salon or spa, but you might be surprised at how much you learn about how such facilities run. This is information that could be extremely useful to you not only in your studies, but in your practice as well.
DO Know How to Network to Your Advantage
Networking is key when you’re in school and when you’re practicing as an esthetician, hair stylist, cosmetologist, or anything in between. It’s never too early to begin working towards building a client base, so begin practicing your networking and marketing skills early on while you’re still in school. You never know how many clients you could have waiting for you when you graduate! You might even consider networking now by ordering business cards and passing them out to prospective clients; just be sure not to make any claims that aren’t true (such as claiming you’re licensed). Until you can actually start practicing, building an online portfolio that’s complete with pictures of your work can also be a great idea.
DON’T Attend a School That’s Not Accredited
When you’re looking into beauty schools, finding one that’s reputable and accredited (such as Marinello) is a must. Otherwise, it doesn’t really matter how well you did with your studies or even how much you feel you learned; your degree simply won’t be taken as seriously if it’s not from an accredited school. Furthermore, without attending an accredited institution, you may also find that you have a harder time getting certified or licensed.
DON’T Enroll Full-Time if You Can’t Commit
One of the biggest challenges you’ll probably face in beauty school is figuring out how to harmoniously balance your school life and the rest of your life. This means taking a lot of time before enrolling to determine whether you want to enroll full-time or part-time. With full-time enrollment, you’ll complete your program sooner (thus being able to start your career more quickly), but you’ll also have a larger course load to deal with in the meantime. With part-time enrollment, you can take things a little easier, but your program will take longer to complete.
Generally, it’s a good idea to consider your lifestyle when determining whether to enroll part- or full-time. If you’re already working and/or raising a family, then it might make sense to start with a part-time school schedule. This way, you can make sure you have time to fulfill your other obligations in addition to making sure to attend all your classes and have time to study. This will help to increase your chances of success in the long-term.
Beauty school is no walk in the park; it’s going to take some time and dedication on your part if you want to be successful down the road. Still, by taking the time to follow these tips, you can ensure that you have a much better chance of success as you make your way through beauty school, no matter what your specific program of study.
