How to Enroll In the Best Esthetician College Near West Memphis Arkansas
Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near West Memphis AR, the task starts to find and enroll in the right program. It's imperative that the program you choose not only furnishes the necessary education for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be rather puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your West Memphis residence. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when evaluating prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it's not automatically the best choice. There are a number of other factors that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what kinds of training programs are available.
It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Esthetician Career Below!
Esthetician Training Requirements
An esthetics program may be found in a school of cosmetology, a dedicated esthetics school or, in some cases, a junior college. An esthetics program’s length is generally determined by the state in which it is located, as each state board of cosmetology sets minimum requirements for the number of hours of training an esthetics program must provide to meet the state’s licensing requirements. However, it is also quite common for esthetics programs to offer more extensive study beyond what is required for licensing purposes. In general, an esthetics program consists of about 600 hours, a common requirement in many states. However, a number of states require less than 600 hours and perhaps just as many require more than 600. Most state boards of cosmetology maintain lists of approved programs of esthetics within the state, while others recognize all programs that meet the state’s minimum clock-hour requirement. A comprehensive esthetics program includes instruction not only in esthetic treatment procedures and services, but in areas such as the structure of the skin and its function, disorders of the skin, and professional business skills.
Esthetician Job Description
An esthetician is a professional skin specialist who identifies cosmetic issues (such as wrinkles, pigmentation, or blemishes) and applies treatments to improve their condition. Most estheticians perform skin treatments like facials, superficial chemical peels, body treatments, skin conditioning, and blemish extraction, but they may also do waxing, lash extensions, and makeovers. Estheticians, unlike licensed cosmetologists, are also able to provide advanced treatments like microdermabrasion, chemical peels, light therapy, and hair removal. They may also educate clients on products, skincare regimens, and the benefits of esthetic procedures. Medical estheticians in clinical settings may help people identify and recover from health issues affecting the skin, such as working with cancer patients or burn victims after surgical procedures. Typically an esthetician works with a client in a spa or salon setting. Some estheticians work in a medical setting to complement medical services, such as in a dermatologist’s office, but they are not medical professionals. Estheticians may also work in locations as varied as West Memphis Arkansas nursing facilities, luxury resorts, dermatologist offices or hospitals.
Online Esthetician Training
Online esthetician classes are advantageous for West Memphis AR students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it hard 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 schools are frequently fast paced since many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not spending numerous hours away from your home or travelling to and from classes. However, it's vital that the school you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it's difficult to obtain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Aesthetician Training Classes
Following is a series of questions that you need to research for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your West Memphis home, together with the cost of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected several 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 pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many West Memphis AR businesses 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? Any esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews together with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with West Memphis AR salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. And finally, check with the Arkansas school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you decide on a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your dream is to launch a West Memphis AR 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 regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty program furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's essential that he or she receives assistance in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develop relationships with West Memphis AR employers that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations 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 Assistance Available? The majority of esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students also. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not omit it as an alternative until you learn what financial aid may be provided.
Find Out How to Become an Esthetician in West Memphis
Enroll in the Best West Memphis Esthetician Program
Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician college is important to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be 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 responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the academy and program you choose are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are qualified to launch your career as a professional esthetician in West Memphis Arkansas.
West Memphis Esthetician Programs | West Memphis How To Become An Esthetician