How to Find the Right Esthetician Training Near Athens Alabama

Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Athens AL, the process begins to locate and enroll in the ideal program. It's imperative that the program you pick not only furnishes the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you may be somewhat confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Athens home. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when reviewing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it's not always the right option. There are various other considerations that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the aesthetician schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let's talk a little bit about what kinds of courses are offered.

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Esthetician Training Programs

Esthetics school is an investment of time, energy, and money. Requirements vary from state to state, but the majority of states require that you complete at least 600 hours of training. Full-time school can take an average of six months to complete, and part-time school can take anywhere from 9-12 months. The primary purpose of esthetics school is to get you ready to pass the state licensing exam. They also teach basic skills that you will need to perfect through experience and sometimes additional classes, such as giving facials, body treatments, and performing waxing.  More advanced training includes learning to work with machines, such as IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) and Lasers used to rejuvenate the skin and permanently remove hair.

Esthetician Job Description

Estheticians provide a wide range of beauty services to help their Athens Alabama clients look and feel better. This includes improving the quality of the skin (including the treatment of skin disorders), hair removal, permanent makeup application, and facial massage. Some types of estheticians, like medical estheticians, provide highly specialized procedures that require detailed training in order for it to be done safely and effectively. Medical estheticians can help individuals suffering from serious skin disorders, burns, and other trauma, and to help with pre and post-operative surgery affecting the health of their skin. Estheticians work closely with their clients in a friendly and positive manner, so an enthusiastic attitude and desire to help people is an excellent attribute for an aspiring esthetician to possess. Some of the basic duties an esthetician may perform will include such tasks as:

• Assessing a patient’s needs
• Chemical peels
• Laser treatments
• Waxing
• Facials
• Massage of the head and neck
• Microdermabrasion

Online Esthetician Courses

Online esthetician programs are convenient for Athens AL students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed through a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional beauty schools are often fast paced given that many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you're not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it's vital that the school you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's impossible to acquire the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Aesthetician Degree Programs

Below is a series of questions that you should research for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Athens residence, together with the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's necessary to make certain that the esthetician training program you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Athens AL employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation?  Every esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Athens AL salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. And last, check with the Alabama school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty?  Many esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you select a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your desire is to open a Athens AL beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator as well. Choosing a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.

Is Any Live Training Provided?  Learning and refining esthetician techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty academy offers limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. So search for other schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's imperative that she or he gets assistance in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance maintain relationships with Athens AL businesses that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available?  Almost all esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students as well. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not drop it as an option until you determine what financial help may be offered.

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Enroll in the Best Athens Esthetician Training

Picking and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is imperative to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Don't forget to compile all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the academy and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Athens Alabama.

 

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