Frequently Asked Questions
GENERAL QUESTIONS
I have considered taking a course to enter this field for some time. How do I know this is right for me and will I succeed?
We find that it is best to look at your natural interest in the subject you are considering. Are you already practicing on yourself, family or friends in some small way? If the answer is "Yes", chances are you will absolutely love learning all you can to become a true professional. Every one of the teachers and administrators at Palm Beach Academy were in the same position early in their careers. We created the Academy so that we can come together in this beautiful place and pass on to the next professional generation all the knowledge and skills we have acquired in our decades of experience. When you match your natural calling with a good education, there is no reason to think you would not succeed. We have no other goal than your success!
How do you choose your instructors?
All of the instructors at Palm Beach Academy are carefully chosen based on their many years of experience, passion and knowledge of their profession. They are an amazing group of professionals who are currently practicing and have come to a point in their career choosing to give back to the field they love by teaching. We are extremely proud of our teaching team. They truly set the tone for the nurturing environment at Palm Beach Academy.
How much will I earn once I graduate?
All of the professions that we teach have a common bottom line, your future financial success depends on your ability to attract and retain a clientele.
We teach our students all the artistic and scientific approaches that make working with their clients fun while building a successful career. If you are NOT properly educated to effectively communicate with people and translate that communication into a service that meets and hopefully exceeds the needs and expectations of your client, you will have difficulty retaining clients therefore inhibiting your financial success. Our current students and graduates do not like to make mistakes or disappoint their clients. The ONLY way Palm Beach Academy knows how to prevent unhappy clients that lead to failure in these professions is getting a great education right from the start.
People will be purchasing time with you and your knowledge and skills. You will be your own unique individual business within a business.
Examples of common employment situations
a) Most salons offer a 50% split of the services they offer. Half will go to the salon to cover rent; utilities, insurance, advertising etc. and the other half will be paid to you. Some offer a starting hourly wage until you are earning more in commissions and most clients also give a gratuity or tip on top of your pay in a salon. This works out very well for a skilled practitioner because the better you are, the more clients you have, the more money you earn. However, if you are undereducated, you will have a tough time building a clientele.
Let's say an average salon service that takes an hour to perform (massage, facial, hair color) costs your client $60.00. 50% or $30.00 will be paid to you typically with a gratuity on top. Your annual income in this scenario will depend on the amount of hours you work yearly and the demand for your services or how many hours a day you have clients scheduled.
b) If you are working in a spa, there will be some differences. Whether it is a day spa or a destination spa (spa with a hotel), they typically spend a lot more money in overhead creating an oasis for relaxation. They will usually offer a more luxurious experience for the client, which has a higher cost. They also have a similar pay arrangement to a salon but usually pay about 30% commission to the employee and keep 70% to cover the higher cost. The price of a service in a spa is typically much higher than a salon so the pay works out to be similar to a salon. The spa clients will also typically pay a gratuity to the practitioner directly on top of their pay.
c) Working in a medical setting like a doctor's office or a hospital is more common for Massage Therapists and Estheticians than ever before. In these settings, employees are usually paid an hourly wage that starts on average at $20.00 to $25.00 an hour. They usually are not open evenings and weekends, which works out well for some however there are less hours available to earn income as compared to a salon or spa and the clients do not typically offer a gratuity.
The greatest aspect of working professionally with hair, muscles, skin and nails is people all over the world value your services. This unique situation creates endless career opportunities. Depending on your skill level and aspirations, there are positions available working on cruise ships, movie sets, television and theater productions, corporate representative, country clubs or start your own business.
Many graduates blend different types of employment working part time in two different settings.
Will I pass the state exam?
Our classes have passing rates from the mid to high 90s. Because all of the state board exams are given in a multiple-choice format on a computer, it is very possible to pass the exam and still NOT have the full amount of hands on skills and experience necessary to succeed in the profession. Palm Beach Academy treats the exam as an important step to entering the field. By no means is the exam even close to encompassing what you need to know to truly be satisfied with your ability to happily build a clientele. True job satisfaction comes with the confidence that you can exceed the needs of your clients and have fun doing it. That is the essence of a good education which makes these professions much more fun than work. We also work with our students throughout their time with us to combat test anxiety!
What type of enrollment do you have?
Although open enrollment is common in schools of these professions, Palm Beach Academy believes scheduled enrollment is the most effective for us to teach. We schedule small classes (average class size is about 12 students) as a group keeping them together until graduation. Instructors will lecture, demonstrate and practice skills with each class in a structured manner. Each student benefits when their entire class is at the same level. We could not be nearly as effective if students come and go attending classes at random times. Scheduled enrollment is structured in a way that allows us to teach in a logical, progressive manner. Upon graduation our classes are ready for their exam and entry into the profession competent and confident in there abilities.
Does Palm Beach Academy really include everything in their total cost?
Yes! Unless you don't like to do laundry, you may want to purchase additional uniform tops. They are $8.00 for a T-shirt and $12.00 for a scrub top. You will need paper, pens, pencils, highlighter and a folder for handouts. Palm Beach Academy treats you the way we would want to be treated. We know you are just starting out and have entrusted us to provide you with the proper equipment and learning environment. Everyone gets frustrated when receiving unexpected bills or charges. When you are frustrated, it is nearly impossible to learn anything new. When you are comfortable in a well-equipped classroom, school is fun! We are so blessed to be able to teach our students to reach out and help others feel good about themselves. How could we not reach out and share everything with them.
The following information was assembled to help you make more informed choices in your education.
Types of enrollment? Before you enroll in school it is a good idea to investigate different types of enrollment.
Open enrollment - Open enrollment is when a school chooses to place a newly enrolled student that day, week or month into a combined on-going class. This usually means a teacher will have students at many different levels in one classroom. Typically more advanced and midway students are waiting while the teacher is teaching the new students or vice versa. Although this type of enrollment is commonly practiced in career type schools, this method can have the instructor running around teaching simple subject matter to a class over and over. Because so much time is spent in repetition open enrollment commonly translates into a more basic education. Graduates from courses with open enrollment typically feel the need to attend more classes after graduation to attain more skills.
Open enrollment / flexible schedule - Open enrollment combined with a flexible schedule is when students set their own schedule with a school. Students can drop into a class at their convenience. These types of classes will typically have a teacher teaching classes with even wider gaps in their knowledge level. For some this is the only way it would be possible for them to attend school. In some types of education (i.e. computer courses) open /flexible enrollment can work out O.K.
Scheduled enrollment - Scheduled enrollment is when a group of students start school together, follow a lesson plan for their education and graduate as a class. Palm Beach Academy teaches all classes with a scheduled enrollment. When our students move together through their classes the subjects we teach can be taught more effectively and in grater depth. Teachers have the time to give personal attention and supervision to their students. We are able to teach more in a shorter period of time. Our graduates go on to earn a living placing their hands on people and want to have the best ability and knowledge to treat their clients well. We feel it is in the best interest of our student, their instructors, our graduates, their clients and the profession to teach with a scheduled enrollment.
There is a reason nearly all institutions of higher learning teach using scheduled enrollment.
Instructors? A school is typically as good as its instructors. Meet as many instructors as possible when visiting a school.
What qualifications do they possess? When visiting a school ask current students if there are scheduled classes without an instructor present. Be sure an inexperienced recent graduate or a current student is not the one teaching classes.
Equipment for learning? Visit all of the classrooms you will be using to be sure they are set up and equipped for learning. Make sure all supplies that are promised to you are received. If possible bring someone you know currently working in the profession to assess the school and the equipment with you. Make sure all equipment needs are disclosed to you. Palm Beach Academy includes everything you need to master the skills you are learning in the published tuition and books and supplies fee.
Policy for making up absences? Ask to read all of the schools rules and policies.
If you miss class how can you catch up? When will there be an instructor present to help you? Find out if the school has fines or extra fees they charge for classes or partial classes missed. By law schools should disclose all extra fees to students in a printed publication given to each student. Attendance in regularly scheduled classes is the optimum way to learn. However, it is unrealistic for a school to expect every student to have perfect attendance. Palm Beach Academy has a policy that allows students to make up a reasonable amount of class time missed with their instructor present without additional fees.
When do you start practicing on the general public in a clinic? Some schools start students in a public clinic the first day or week of school. There are schools that will pull students or even an instructor out of class to work on a clinical client. Some schools hold their clinic time outside of the class schedule on a students' day off. The Palm Beach Academy holds all clinics within the scheduled class time. All clinical's at the Palm Beach Academy are preformed in the senior portion of the course by senior students ready for clinic under the guidance of their instructor. We know an effectively run student clinic is a vital part of the hands on learning process. Good clinical experience in school makes our graduate's transition into the profession much easier.
Will I need a state board exam preparation class? Some schools will offer an outside test preparation course typically for a fee. Test preparation at the Palm Beach Academy is included and immersed in all the subjects we teach at no additional cost. It is not a one-time class. Always verify a schools passing rate at the state board exam.
Is the person enrolling me on commission? Palm Beach Academy does not agree with nor do we have enrollment sales people who are on commission or a bonus package. Education is precious and should never be treated as a material item.
I have heard from a school bad things about other schools are they telling the truth? You should visit every school available to you regardless of what you hear. We cannot stress this point enough. Education is expensive and time consuming not to mention the foundation to your success in your future profession. Drop in to see schools unannounced and take a look around, talk to the teachers and more importantly the students. Sit in classes and make sure you have found the right place for you to begin your journey into the profession of your calling. You are always welcome to attend classes anytime free of charge at the Palm Beach Academy!
Choose one of the programs below for a more detailed description: