How to Enroll In the Right Esthetician Training Program Near Opelika Alabama

Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Opelika AL, the process starts to find and enroll in the best program. It's imperative that the program you pick not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be a little bit unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Opelika home. Tuition will also be an important consideration when evaluating possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not automatically the right option. There are a number of other factors that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the aesthetician schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let's talk a bit about what kinds of training programs are offered.

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Esthetics 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 (or aestheticians) are skin care specialists who typically work in Opelika Alabama spas and salons as well as resorts and medical facilities to provide a variety of treatments for their clients. Some of the typical duties of an esthetician include performing deep skin cleansing and treatments, hair removal, and massages. Estheticians also recommend skincare treatments, products, and regimens to their clients. Many estheticians are self-employed, which allows them to set their schedules and work where they wish. However, these professionals still often need to work evenings and weekends. These skin care specialists also spend much of their time standing and may be exposed to harmful chemicals. Certified estheticians have excellent customer service and communication skills. They're adept at time management, observation and monitoring and are competent in understanding and using the tools necessary for facial procedures and extractions. Certified estheticians are familiar with medical, spreadsheets, and word processing software. They present a professional appearance and have the physical fitness to stand for prolonged periods of time. A career in esthetics generally requires working evening and weekend hours.

Online Esthetician Courses

Online esthetician classes are advantageous for Opelika AL students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of online beauty school programs available that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty schools are typically fast paced given that many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you're not spending numerous hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it's imperative that the program you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it's difficult to gain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So don't forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Trade Schools

Below is a list of questions that you will want to research for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Opelika home, in addition to the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have collected some of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.

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 recognized local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Opelika AL businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation?  Any esthetician institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Opelika AL salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, 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, contact the Alabama school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus?  A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you choose a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your objective is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your aspiration is to start a Opelika AL beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator as well. Selecting a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided?  Practicing and refining esthetician techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty academy furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's essential that she or he gets help in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide aid maintain relationships with Opelika AL employers that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered?  The majority of esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students also. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an option until you learn what financial assistance may be available.

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Enroll in the Best Opelika Esthetician Program

Choosing and enrolling in the right esthetician school is imperative to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Don't forget to compile all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the institution and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and answer 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 selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Opelika Alabama.

 

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