Schools in Atlanta

I may start attending a esthetics program in Atlanta, can anyone comment on his/her esthetic training program in ATL?

chloe in Atlanta, Georgia said: I may start attending a esthetics program in Atlanta, can anyone comment on his/her esthetic training program in ATL?

I graduated from The Atlanta institute of Aesthetics in 2005 and feel like I got a really good education in skin care. You should check out the website: www.atlantainstituteofaesthetics.com and go have a tour of the school, too. The makeup part of the program was the least informative (and things may have changed since I was there), but overall, my experience was great!! Now I have a job I really enjoy.

Julie in Atlanta in Athens, Georgia said: I graduated from The Atlanta institute of Aesthetics in 2005 and feel like I got a really good education in skin care. You should check out the website: www.atlantainstituteofaesthetics.com and go have a tour of the school, too. The makeup part of the program was the least informative (and things may have changed since I was there), but overall, my experience was great!! Now I have a job I really enjoy.

Thanks for responding. I was also considering the International School for Skin and Nails, but I wanted some feedback from students that attended either school. Why did you choose the Atl. Institute of Aesthetics? By the way if u dont mind commenting, can u tell me a little about your job?

Atlanta Institute of Aesthetics is THE BEST PROGRAM! The staff and atmosphere is highly professional and experienced. There are no short cuts and the classes are vigorous yet rewarding in the end.

Kimberly in Snellville, Georgia said: Atlanta Institute of Aesthetics is THE BEST PROGRAM! The staff and atmosphere is highly professional and experienced. There are no short cuts and the classes are vigorous yet rewarding in the end.

Thanks for responding. What are doing now? Do you know anything about ISSN?

I had a friend that went to ISSN, and she ended up quiting the program. She said some of the instructors there were derogatory when it came to fully explaining techniques and procedures. Oftentimes the students were at a loss on what to do. Supposedly, there was some preferential treatment when it came to students that certain teachers preferred. Some students even felt put down by one instructor in particular. There were never enough towels or supplies. The students bickered over who was going to do laundry. Sometimes, the students would be shifted back and forth between rooms in a very unprofessional manner. Although many of the instructors were great, if I were you, I would go to The Atlanta Institute of Aesthetics. The few bad seeds there, ruin the entire experience.

Thanks. I have picked another school instead of ISSN. I have similar comments about not having enough supplies. Thanks for responding.

I'm interested in the costs for the Atlanta Institute of Aesthetics and how it compares to ISSN.

what is the cost of the program at Atl institute

I am a student at ISSN. you are right about the teachers and the lack of supplies. I am considering changing schools. has anybody heard of ensenergy? Its a new school in tyrone ga.any feedback would be apprecatied

catneville in Woodstock, Georgia said: I'm interested in the costs for the Atlanta Institute of Aesthetics and how it compares to ISSN.

I am a graduate of ISSN, recently moved to Oregon. I would not recommend ISSN to anyone. The instructors are all burned out, there are never enough supplies, the facility is old and falling apart, the products they use are awful! Most of the machines are borken and half of the working ones have missing parts! It's very "ghetto" imo. I wish AIA was open when I was choosing a school, because I would have gone there!

annie in Newnan, Georgia said: I am a student at ISSN. you are right about the teachers and the lack of supplies. I am considering changing schools. has anybody heard of ensenergy? Its a new school in tyrone ga.any feedback would be apprecatied

I am a graduate from ensynergy southeasten school of esthetics. I have to say that they really went above and beyond to educate and equip us to be sucessful and competent in this wonderful field. There is a lot of one on one instruction both in the class room and the clinic floor. The enviornment is very positive and local spa's constantly called looking for graduates to staff spa's in the alanta area all of my classmates including myself had jobs prior to graduation. And to say the least if you live in the area like me it really beat that long commute I am so glad the opened i had a great experience at ensynergy!!!

I am thinking about attending just the Estheticain Classes. I want to open up a Day Spa, I really want to be licensed for my business and hire staff to ruin it. I will have to do the part time program because I work full time and will have to commute from Columbus Georgia.

Has anyone recently graduated from ISSN- I have seen the negative feedbacks and am very concerned. The hours for the morning program work best for me- in terms of my children. I have to be home by 3:40. The hours for the school The Atlanta Institue of Aesthetics will not work for me and they are pretty strict. I don't know what to do This field is incredibly appealing to me, I would welcome any feedback from students who attended recently or if you know of anyone. Thanks.

I was looking into Atl Institute of Aesthetics because I would like to get further into the field of laser work and other cosmetic work. I went to the Aveda Institute in ATl for cosmetology but now I realize it was overpriced,the school was not organized and nothign ran smoothly....things and rules changed every few months and it was more of a pain then an education. But they had an esthetician program but I would rather not go back.....and Ive heard good things about AIA

Al M in Atlanta, Georgia said: I am in Atlanta, GA.... I am interested in hiring part time in home estheticians. This could be a very rewarding opportunity and not require much time but you would have to be on call. If you are interested please respond. Thank you

Could you tell me more about this opportunity; I am going to ISSN in Aug and when I graduate would need a flexible job to work around my son's school schedule. I will have back-up to work at night or weekends if I have notice. Please let me know and I can keep your information on file for later. Thanks.

Lori Olivet in Beaverton, Oregon said: I am a graduate of ISSN, recently moved to Oregon. I would not recommend ISSN to anyone. The instructors are all burned out, there are never enough supplies, the facility is old and falling apart, the products they use are awful! Most of the machines are borken and half of the working ones have missing parts! It's very "ghetto" imo. I wish AIA was open when I was choosing a school, because I would have gone there!

How long ago was it that you went to ISSN; I am going there in Aug. I would have preferred another school but ISSN day program was the only one that fit my schedule. I hope things have improved. Also, can you give me some feedback on the exam- how hard? what to focus on- there is so much information; also how is the job market? And are you working. Thanks. My e-mail is lauriesilverman@mindspring.com

Laurie in Marietta, Georgia said: Has anyone recently graduated from ISSN- I have seen the negative feedbacks and am very concerned. The hours for the morning program work best for me- in terms of my children. I have to be home by 3:40. The hours for the school The Atlanta Institue of Aesthetics will not work for me and they are pretty strict. I don't know what to do This field is incredibly appealing to me, I would welcome any feedback from students who attended recently or if you know of anyone. Thanks.

I graduated 2 years ago from ISSN. I hate to say it, but all the negative stuff you hear is pretty true. We used to call it the women's prison..."doin time". You will get what you need from ISSN to get to the state board, but that's it. There are some instructors there who are very bitter and derogatory. They did have some instructors that were great who are gone. I've heard that a couple of the ones I liked are still there but are not very happy working there.

I work with a girl who went to Atl School of Aesthetics and she loved it. I haven't seen their facility but I've heard it's nice. I do know that the best massage therapists in ATL come from Atl School of Massage which is the same school, so I wouldn't doubt that it's great. The one thing ISSN had that ATl Sch of Aest. did not was the schedule that permits you more flexibility for working.

If you can get your schedule to work with Atl Sch of Aesthetics, I'd go there if I were you.

Thanks for the feedback. I tried to see if they could work around my schedule but the school is pretty inflexible. I guess I am stuck with the "prison environment" which is very disturbing.... I hope this doesn't affect my passion for Skin Care. One other thing, was the school helpful in regard to job placement or did you have to find a job on your own? Laurie

Louise in Atlanta, Georgia said: They claim to help you find a job, but I went out there and found one on my own. Thankfully I got a job right before the industry slowed down. Unfortuneately in ATl it's pretty slow across the board right now. I'm not making what I was making 6 mos. ago. I think it will pick up pretty soon. Everyone's freaked about the economy, gas, housing market, etc. Things will pick up, they always do, so don't let that discourage you either if this is what you really want.
As far as going to ISSN, if the schedule they offer is what you really need, go there. Like I said, you'll get everything you need to get you to the state board. My suggestion to you is, try to learn and practice and do more than what is required while you are in school. The best way to learn is get out there in the real world. Try to get a job at the front desk of a spa or salon that has a spa- this will definitely help you when you graduate. I got a job and worked the desk at a spa the whole time I was in school, and they promoted me when I graduated, and I'm still there.
Good luck to you!

Thanks for the info Louise, I am sure I will do well, I will definitely do more, I can't work while in school due to my kids but I don't mind starting at the bottom to get my foot in the door. Thanks for everything. Laurie

I am currently a student at AIA and graduate in Oct. My school is very comprehensive and run in a very organized fashion. They have day classes and evening classes. The program is 1000 hours. 250 of which are clinic. We see clients two days a week. I feel confident that I've received a good education and feel my prospects of finding a good job are pretty good. I also have 12 years experience as a medical assistant and that is helpful. I hope to find a dermatologist or Plastic Surgeon to work for or maybe even a Med Spa. I am looking into classes available for IPL training.

Laurie in Marietta, Georgia said: Has anyone recently graduated from ISSN- I have seen the negative feedbacks and am very concerned. The hours for the morning program work best for me- in terms of my children. I have to be home by 3:40. The hours for the school The Atlanta Institue of Aesthetics will not work for me and they are pretty strict. I don't know what to do This field is incredibly appealing to me, I would welcome any feedback from students who attended recently or if you know of anyone. Thanks.

Hi,

I'm Judy. I graduated in Dec 07 from ISSN. Issn does have alot of theproblems that have been stated. However I too choose due to the hours. The school is what you make of it. YOU have to choose to learn ... regardless. YOU have to study the material. Lots of people go through just to graduate but that was not me. Istudied and took an extra Medical Esthetics training with Dr. Erin (She's fabulous). I now work in a Med Spa both in the Buckhead and Roswell locations. The problems you have at ISSN are the real world. You do not always have the "proper mask or moisturizer etc" You have to be self sufficient. You have to get your credits. The school doesn't plan it all out for you like the other school does. It is frustating. But buddy up with someone who is truley interested in being the best and you'll be OK. I do have an advantage... I was 53 when I went back to school with a diverse background. I enjoyed it. I work with another esthy that graduated there 5 yr ago. It definitely has the reputation of the "getto school". There's learning in that also. The internet is a fabulous source of training. Hope this helps. Good luck.

I am thinking about enrolling at Atlanta institute of esthetics and was wandering if they use Milady curriculum.

They use their own curriculum, however I believe they use Milady as a reference as I've seen her books in the teachers offices. I have several of Milady's books, they are very good.

I checked into Ensenergy in Tyrone and it was almost $10,000! Is that the norm?? How much is the Art Institute Program? Thank you!!

AIA is not 15k

Susan in Cumming, Georgia said: They use their own curriculum, however I believe they use Milady as a reference as I've seen her books in the teachers offices. I have several of Milady's books, they are very good.

I had an interview at AIA just a few weeks ago, and I really liked it. I am very interested in enrolling there at the beginning of next year whenever their classes start again. I was wandering if you can recommend any books that I can start reading that would prepare me for this school.

The anatomy and physiology classes are pretty tough. You could get a head start on reading up on them....go through all the body systems...you will be tested on all of them and they are the hardest by far. There are several books out there...even the childrens books are great for learning...there are coloring books...etc...

Also, any of the Milady Esthectician Series books are great...the ones on machines, waxing, advanced spa techniques, diseases and disorders are good to name a few.....

Good Luck!

sweetpea said: I checked into Ensenergy in Tyrone and it was almost $10,000! Is that the norm?? How much is the Art Institute Program? Thank you!!

I just graduated from ensynergy. It is a wonderful school. after attending ISSN for the first 8 weeks of my training, I transferred to ensynergy. The price was a little more than ISSN but I recieved so much more one on one attention and genuine caring from the teachers and staff. More supplies, better facilities and a shorter drive . All I can say is Ensynergy is a wonderful school. Also with these gas prices it saved me money in the long run.

Thanks Annie, one more question! What are the chances of landing a job with the economy as it is....also do you have to handle your own insurance and such? You're really an independent contractor, right? Were you able to get any of your money back from the other place? Noone seems to think that the tuition is high...guess I am still in sticker shock! :)

Ensynergy is actually almost 9,000. It's the cheapest in the metro atlanta area besides the technical college programs. You can try delkab tech if your looking for cost but becareful not to compromise quality.

Laurie in Marietta, Georgia said: How long ago was it that you went to ISSN; I am going there in Aug. I would have preferred another school but ISSN day program was the only one that fit my schedule. I hope things have improved. Also, can you give me some feedback on the exam- how hard? what to focus on- there is so much information; also how is the job market? And are you working. Thanks. My e-mail is lauriesilverman@mindspring.com

Could you let me know how your experience is at ISSN? I am also torn between AIA and ISSN. ISSN seems to have more flexibility but I really want the best education. All of the negative comments relating to ISSN is intimidating. Good luck to you! thank you

Laurie in Duluth, Georgia said: Thanks for the feedback. I tried to see if they could work around my schedule but the school is pretty inflexible. I guess I am stuck with the "prison environment" which is very disturbing.... I hope this doesn't affect my passion for Skin Care. One other thing, was the school helpful in regard to job placement or did you have to find a job on your own? Laurie

Could you tell me how your experience is at ISSN? I am trying to obtain as many opinions before I decide between attending AIA or ISSN. I visited both schools and AIA is a much nicer school. However, the cost is much more and is it worth the extra cost. Thank you

sweetpea said: I checked into Ensenergy in Tyrone and it was almost $10,000! Is that the norm?? How much is the Art Institute Program? Thank you!!

AIA is right at $14,000.00. I recently visited and obtained their information.

I never started, things got crazy at home and it was not the right time. If you could go to AIA that would be better based on the comments. I did get references from ISSN and their feedback was ok, very realistic. If I were you, I would ask both schools for names of students who went there to compare. Good luck Laurie

Susan in Cumming, Georgia said: AIA is not 15k

Would someone please tell me what the ball park cost of AIA is and why is it such a big deal to say it?

The cost is 13,999.00. This is the amount that was given to me when I went to AIA a few months ago to tour their facility. I hope this helps you.. Good Luck

thank you for your advice.
Danielle

When I enrolled in AIA a year ago, it was roughly 14k. I heard that it was 15k now....someone from our school told me this. I am not positive, but I think the person that told me spoke with a new freshman and thats what she told her.

Call and talk to Juan Carlos the admissions director. He'll be glad to help you.

Thanks so much! I was told that you had to come in and make an appointment and see the campus to even get an idea of how much it was. Thanks again.

Thank You. One more quick question in the program just one year?

It's 10+ months long. If you started October 7th (their next start date) it ends August 27th, I believe. I know it is the last week of August. You have off 1 week in November and 2 weeks in December. The school seems like they have a good program and very clean. I plan to start soon. I am not sure when their next start date is after October. Good Luck!!

bionca in Knoxville, Tennessee said: I had an interview at AIA just a few weeks ago, and I really liked it. I am very interested in enrolling there at the beginning of next year whenever their classes start again. I was wandering if you can recommend any books that I can start reading that would prepare me for this school.

Did you check out ISSN? I was just wondering what your opinion was about their school. I also liked AIA. Definitely a big cost difference between the 2 schools.

Danielle in Marietta, Georgia said: Did you check out ISSN? I was just wondering what your opinion was about their school. I also liked AIA. Definitely a big cost difference between the 2 schools.[/QUOTE

With all the negative feedback about ISSN I didn't want to waste my time with them. I don't want to put my money into a school that isn't very professional and runs out of things. AIA has a very nice facility and equipment. And from the interview I had with AIA it seems like they really protect their students. I know it's a little expensive, but they do offer financial aid and I think it's cheaper than going to college. I think it's worth it.

thank you for your comments.

I was just wondering if anyone else has recently attended ISSN or AIA? I am just trying to gather as many opinions as possible before I make my final decision of which school to attend. Thank you

i am an Advanced Practice Nurse looking to get into skincare. Does anyone have any info about programs for healthcare professionals that include hands on training?

I am a student at ISSN. Yes, things are unpredictable and yes, some of my classmates have very different backgrounds than me. One of the instructors is more difficult to get along with than the others. However that is real life. In a real world spa, you will run out of product and be forced to improvise. In the real world, you will work alongside people who are different than you. In the real world, you will have a boss or supervisor who is not perfect. If you can't handle those things when you are in school, then you are in for a rude awakening when you get out into the real world.
One of the reasons that students attend ISSN over other schools is that ISSN teaches machines (microderm, high frequency, etc.) From what I understand, none of the other schools in the Atlanta area teach machines. Aveda definitely does not (one of my classmates transferred from there) because they believe that the desired results can be achieved with products, not with the use of machines. Anyone who has seen the before and after of a microderm service knows what an impact this can have on a client's face.
As a rule of thumb, we spend 50% or more of our time on the clinic floor, more than the 25% (250 hours) at AIA. Some students choose to not fully utilize this, but at ISSN you have plenty of time to practice on the clinic floor and work on paying clients.
One of my classmates at ISSN recently transferred from AIA. She said that she liked it over there but that the instructors spoon fed the students everything. Students did not have to think for themselves. At ISSN, I have had to think quick on my feet on several occasions.
Every esthetician whom I have visited in Atlanta graduated from ISSN and they have been excellent. There are several new schools that have popped up, but they have not been around long enough to establish a reputation in the Atlanta job market.
Any school you attend is what you make of it. I am making a LOT out of my time at ISSN.

Nicole,
In response to your post I must say a couple of things.... AIA has state of the art Machines, HF, Galvanic, Microderm, vacuum, etc., etc.,....the best products, supplies (and plenty of them) basicially EVERYTHING you would want working at a good spa!!! Our instructors are anything but spoon feeders....I do agree you can become a super esty at several different schools, however, the basics begin at a great school....I myself will be graduating in 3 weeks and have 3 offers....I took my schooling seriously and was very motivated to learn from the best!

All one has to do is tour both schools...or better yet, get a spa treatment from both schools...talk with the students...instructors then make a decision where you prefer to attend.... Good Luck to everyone!!!

Nicole in Atlanta, Georgia said: I am a student at ISSN. Yes, things are unpredictable and yes, some of my classmates have very different backgrounds than me. One of the instructors is more difficult to get along with than the others. However that is real life. In a real world spa, you will run out of product and be forced to improvise. In the real world, you will work alongside people who are different than you. In the real world, you will have a boss or supervisor who is not perfect. If you can't handle those things when you are in school, then you are in for a rude awakening when you get out into the real world.
One of the reasons that students attend ISSN over other schools is that ISSN teaches machines (microderm, high frequency, etc.) From what I understand, none of the other schools in the Atlanta area teach machines. Aveda definitely does not (one of my classmates transferred from there) because they believe that the desired results can be achieved with products, not with the use of machines. Anyone who has seen the before and after of a microderm service knows what an impact this can have on a client's face.
As a rule of thumb, we spend 50% or more of our time on the clinic floor, more than the 25% (250 hours) at AIA. Some students choose to not fully utilize this, but at ISSN you have plenty of time to practice on the clinic floor and work on paying clients.
One of my classmates at ISSN recently transferred from AIA. She said that she liked it over there but that the instructors spoon fed the students everything. Students did not have to think for themselves. At ISSN, I have had to think quick on my feet on several occasions.
Every esthetician whom I have visited in Atlanta graduated from ISSN and they have been excellent. There are several new schools that have popped up, but they have not been around long enough to establish a reputation in the Atlanta job market.
Any school you attend is what you make of it. I am making a LOT out of m