How to Pick the Right Aesthetician College Near Anaheim California
Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Anaheim CA, the task starts to find and enroll in the best program. It's imperative that the program you select not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you might be rather 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 kind of school. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Anaheim residence. Tuition will also be an important consideration when evaluating potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it's not automatically the ideal choice. There are several other qualifications that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let's talk a little bit about what kinds of training programs are offered.
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Esthetician 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 provide a wide range of beauty services to help their Anaheim California 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 classes are convenient for Anaheim CA 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 by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty programs are typically fast paced given that many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not spending numerous hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's essential that the program you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it's difficult to gain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Aesthetician Training Programs
Following is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Anaheim home, together with the expense of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like 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 need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's important to make certain that the esthetician college you select 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 assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Anaheim CA businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding 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 placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews together with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Anaheim CA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And finally, check with the California school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you enroll in a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your objective 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 vision is to launch a Anaheim CA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct 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 provide the training you require.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Studying and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty school offers little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that furnish this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's essential that he or she gets aid in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide aid develop relationships with Anaheim CA businesses that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Many esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and find out 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 accessible to students as well. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not drop it as an alternative until you determine what financial assistance may be available.
More Info on How to Become an Aesthetician in Anaheim
Enroll in the Right Anaheim Esthetician Training
Locating and enrolling in the right esthetician program is essential to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Make certain to collect all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the school and program you pick are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to start your career as a professional esthetician in Anaheim California.