How to Find the Right Esthetician Classes Near Bakersfield California
Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Bakersfield CA, the process starts to find and enroll in the best program. It's important that the program you select not only provides the proper instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be a little bit puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both refer 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 Bakersfield residence. Tuition will also be an important consideration when assessing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it's not necessarily the right option. There are many other qualifications that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let's talk a bit about what types of training programs are available.
It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Esthetician Career Below!
Esthetician Training Programs
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 Bakersfield California nursing facilities, luxury resorts, dermatologist offices or hospitals.
Online Esthetician Courses
Online esthetician classes are convenient for Bakersfield CA students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are many web-based beauty school programs available that can be accessed via a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty schools are typically fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you're not spending numerous hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it's imperative that the program you choose can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's difficult to gain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Aesthetician Schools
Following is a list of questions that you will want to look into for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Bakersfield home, in addition to the cost of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have collected several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Esthetician School 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 acknowledged 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 ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Bakersfield CA businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Bakersfield CA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. And finally, check with the California school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you decide on a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your intention 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 start a Bakersfield CA beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator as well. Picking a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Studying and mastering esthetician skills and techniques involves lots of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy offers limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's essential that she or he receives aid in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide help develop relationships with Bakersfield CA businesses that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may get approved 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 eliminate it as an option until you find out what financial help may be offered.
Find Out How to Become an Esthetician in Bakersfield
Enroll in the Best Bakersfield Esthetician Program
Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is important to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you decide on are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when 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 Bakersfield California.
Bakersfield Aesthetician Schools Near Me | Bakersfield Esthetician Schools Near Me