How to Pick the Best Esthetician College Near Bakersfield California
Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Bakersfield CA, the process starts to search for and enroll in the ideal program. It's important that the school you select not only furnishes the proper training for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be somewhat 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 kind of school. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Bakersfield residence. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when evaluating possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it's not necessarily the best choice. There are several other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let's talk a little bit about what types of courses 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 Bakersfield 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 Esthetician Courses
Online esthetician programs are accommodating for Bakersfield CA students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based beauty school programs offered that can be accessed via a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are typically fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you're not devoting numerous hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's imperative that the training program you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also get 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 facet of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Esthetics Training Programs
Following is a list of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Bakersfield home, as well as the cost of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final selection.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's necessary to make certain that the esthetician college you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged 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 assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Bakersfield CA employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews together with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Bakersfield CA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may 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 grievances filed or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating 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 typically 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 objective is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your vision is to start a Bakersfield CA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Choosing a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty school offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best option for developing your skills. So try to find alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's imperative that she or he gets assistance in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide assistance develop relationships with Bakersfield CA businesses that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, 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 regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most esthetician schools provide 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 identify 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 available to students too. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you learn what financial aid may be available.
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Enroll in the Best Bakersfield Esthetician Training
Locating and enrolling in the right esthetician college is important to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Make certain 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 contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the academy and program you select are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are prepared to start your career as a professional esthetician in Bakersfield California.
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