How to Choose the Best Esthetician Course Near Phoenix Arizona
Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Phoenix AZ, the process begins to search for and enroll in the ideal program. It's imperative that the school you choose not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be a little bit unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both relate 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 Phoenix residence. Tuition will additionally be an important consideration when evaluating prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not automatically the ideal choice. There are several other qualifications that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let's talk a little bit about what kinds of training programs are available.
It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Esthetician Career Below!
Esthetics Training Requirements
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 Phoenix Arizona 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 Esthetics Schools
Online esthetician schools are advantageous for Phoenix AZ students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs available that can be attended by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional beauty schools are typically fast paced because many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours away from your home or commuting to and from classes. On the other hand, it's important that the training program you choose can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's difficult to acquire the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Aesthetician Programs
Following is a series of questions that you need to look into for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Phoenix residence, together with the cost of tuition, will probably 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 narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together some of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's necessary to make certain that the esthetician college you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Phoenix AZ employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every 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 demanded. Check rating companies for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Phoenix AZ salon owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And finally, consult the Arizona school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you decide on 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 well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to launch a Phoenix AZ beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Selecting a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and refining esthetician techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for developing your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that furnish this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's important that she or he gets help in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish aid maintain relationships with Phoenix AZ employers that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Almost all esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students too. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not omit it as an option until you learn what financial assistance may be offered.
Find Out How to Become an Aesthetician in Phoenix
Enroll in the Best Phoenix Esthetician Training
Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is imperative to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel confident about your decision. Don't forget to consolidate all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the institution and program you decide on are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are ready to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Phoenix Arizona.
Phoenix Esthetician Classes | Phoenix Medical Esthetician Schools