How to Select the Best Aesthetician School Near Anchorage Alaska

Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Anchorage AK, the task begins to search for and enroll in the ideal program. It's imperative that the program you pick not only provides the proper instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you may be a little bit puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Anchorage residence. Tuition will additionally be a critical consideration when reviewing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it's not always the best option. There are many other considerations that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the aesthetician schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let's talk a bit about what types of 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 Anchorage Alaska 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 Esthetics Programs

Online esthetician programs are convenient for Anchorage AK students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs offered that can be attended via a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are often fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not spending numerous hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it's essential that the school you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it's difficult to gain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Aesthetician Training Programs

Below is a list of questions that you should investigate for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Anchorage home, in addition to the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have put together some of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's important to make sure that the esthetician training program you choose 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 guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Anchorage AK employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation?  Each esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Anchorage AK salon owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. Finally, contact the Alaska school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus?  Many esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you pick a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your goal is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your dream is to open a Anchorage AK beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Picking a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.

Is Enough Live Training Provided?  Learning and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty program offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. Therefore look for other schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's essential that she or he receives support in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance develop relationships with Anchorage AK employers that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered?  Almost all esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students also. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you determine what financial assistance may be available.

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Enroll in the Right Anchorage Esthetician Course

Picking and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is essential to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Don't forget to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you decide on are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are qualified to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Anchorage Alaska.

 

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