Do your research before choosing an online makeup school!
You might have different priorities that will affect your decision. However, you should be aware that there are some shadier schools out there, and you definitely get what you pay for.
Hereâs what you should look out for when checking out ANY online makeup school
- Do the schoolâs website and social media pages appear professional and legitimate?
- Does the school offer a variety of makeup courses, and are there detailed course outlines available for those courses?
- Are you able to find course samples anywhere or a description of the assignments youâll be completing?
This is a big deal!
A lot of schools will give you books to read and videos to watch, but then your only âassignmentsâ will be multiple choice quizzes. How are you supposed to become a certified makeup artist if your makeup skills are never evaluated?!
- Will you have an actual makeup tutor to work with throughout your course, and is this person a qualified professional makeup artist, or are they a paid employee of the school following grading charts?
- How is the schoolâs tuition set up?
- Does your course have a set tuition, or is it a subscription-for-life model where you have to pay a monthly fee forever in order to use your âcertificationâ?
- If youâre able to pay your tuition on an installment plan, what happens if you miss a month or two of tuition payments?
- Will you receive any kind of business or career training that will help you get a job or start your career after you graduate?
- Do you receive a professional makeup kit with your course? If so, what is the cost of the kit?
Hereâs where most online schools will âget youâ.
Youâll receive what appears to be an amazing makeup kit, but the kit is non-refundable and is worth 2/3 of your tuition. So essentially, when you enroll in those types of makeup courses, youâre really paying for a glorified makeup kit and some books, and not for a well-rounded makeup education.
- What are students and graduates saying about the course and/or the school? Are you able to find reviews about the school that appear credible and legitimate?
- See if the school has some sort of student/graduate community you can speak to before enrolling. Any good school wonât hesitate to give you a way to contact some of their students/grads!
- Itâs not a bad idea to also check out the Better Business Bureau or other consumer complaint sites. You might find business disputes on those sites that can shed some light on the schoolâs business practices.
- Are you able to reach the schoolâs support team if you have a question about your course? What is the procedure for getting help with your assignments, payments, etc?
Hint!
If youâre not even able to get in touch with a school before enrolling, odds are that service wonât get any better when you do become a student. Itâs a good idea to pick up the phone and call whatever school youâre considering!
- Are there ANY hidden or continuous fees associated with your course OR your certification once you graduate?
- Is there any kind of money-back guarantee so that you can try out the course risk-free? What exactly gets refunded if you choose not to withdraw your enrollment within that time period?
- Does the school have a solid business reputation? How long has it been in operation? Will it still be around in a year? 5 years?
