How to Choose the Right Esthetician School Near Prescott Valley Arizona
Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Prescott Valley AZ, the task starts to locate and enroll in the right program. It's important that the program you pick not only furnishes the necessary training for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you might be a little bit unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Prescott Valley home. Tuition will also be a critical factor when evaluating prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not always the best choice. There are a number of other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the aesthetician schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a little bit about what kinds of training programs are available.
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Esthetician 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 Prescott Valley 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 programs are accommodating for Prescott Valley AZ students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed by means of a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are frequently fast paced since many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's essential that the program you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it's difficult to obtain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So don't forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Esthetics Training Courses
Following is a list of questions that you will want to look into for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Prescott Valley residence, as well as the expense of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's essential to make sure that the esthetician college you enroll in 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Prescott Valley AZ employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each esthetician institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Prescott Valley AZ salon owners or managers, or anyone 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 see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often 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 intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your dream is to start a Prescott Valley AZ beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Selecting a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Studying and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy provides limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for developing your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that furnish this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's important that he or she receives assistance in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance develop relationships with Prescott Valley AZ businesses that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs 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 confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Many esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and learn 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 available to students as well. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an alternative before you determine what financial help may be available.
Find Out How to Become an Aesthetician in Prescott Valley
Enroll in the Right Prescott Valley Esthetician Course
Selecting and enrolling in the right esthetician school is imperative to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to organize all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the college and program you choose are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are ready to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Prescott Valley Arizona.
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