How to Choose the Right Aesthetician Program Near Belmont California
Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Belmont CA, the task starts to locate and enroll in the best program. It's essential that the school you select not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you may be somewhat puzzled about the distinction 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 plan on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Belmont residence. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when evaluating possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it's not automatically the right choice. There are several other considerations that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let's talk a little bit about what types of programs are available.
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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 Belmont 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 Schools
Online esthetician schools are accommodating for Belmont CA students who are employed full-time and have family commitments that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online beauty school programs offered that can be attended via a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are frequently fast paced given that many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you're not devoting many hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it's vital that the school you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it's impossible to gain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Aesthetician Programs
Below is a series of questions that you will want to research for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Belmont home, as well as the cost of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following 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 school you select 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 superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Belmont CA employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. 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 sought after. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Belmont CA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to propose others that you had not considered. Finally, contact the California school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full 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, 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 essential that you decide on a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your goal is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your aspiration is to start a Belmont CA beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Picking a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Practicing and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty academy provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's imperative that she or he gets support in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer aid maintain relationships with Belmont CA businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Almost all esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students also. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not omit it as an alternative until you learn what financial help may be provided.
More Info on How to Become an Esthetician in Belmont
Enroll in the Right Belmont Esthetician Program
Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician program is imperative to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you pick are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Belmont California.