How to Pick the Best Aesthetician College Near Berkeley California
Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Berkeley CA, the process begins to locate and enroll in the best program. It's imperative that the program you select not only furnishes the necessary training for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be a little bit puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Berkeley home. Tuition will likewise be an important aspect when reviewing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it's not automatically the ideal choice. There are several other considerations 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 looking at later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what kinds of courses are offered.
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Esthetics 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 (or aestheticians) are skin care specialists who typically work in Berkeley California spas and salons as well as resorts and medical facilities to provide a variety of treatments for their clients. Some of the typical duties of an esthetician include performing deep skin cleansing and treatments, hair removal, and massages. Estheticians also recommend skincare treatments, products, and regimens to their clients. Many estheticians are self-employed, which allows them to set their schedules and work where they wish. However, these professionals still often need to work evenings and weekends. These skin care specialists also spend much of their time standing and may be exposed to harmful chemicals. Certified estheticians have excellent customer service and communication skills. They're adept at time management, observation and monitoring and are competent in understanding and using the tools necessary for facial procedures and extractions. Certified estheticians are familiar with medical, spreadsheets, and word processing software. They present a professional appearance and have the physical fitness to stand for prolonged periods of time. A career in esthetics generally requires working evening and weekend hours.
Online Esthetician Training
Online esthetician classes are accommodating for Berkeley CA students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are many web-based beauty school programs available that can be accessed by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are typically fast paced because many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you're not spending many hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it's vital that the program you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it's impossible to gain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Aesthetician Training Classes
Below is a list of questions that you should research for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Berkeley home, together with the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have put together some of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's important to make sure that the esthetician college you enroll in 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 meet their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Berkeley CA businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews along with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Berkeley CA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. And finally, check with the California school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you choose a school that specializes in 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 well regarded for that program. If your desire is to start a Berkeley CA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Selecting a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and refining esthetician techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Check 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 enable students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty program offers limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore look for other schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's essential that he or she gets aid in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develop relationships with Berkeley CA businesses that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Check 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 verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Almost all esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and identify 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 as well. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an option before you find out what financial assistance may be available.
Learn How to Become an Aesthetician in Berkeley
Enroll in the Right Berkeley Esthetician Program
Locating and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is imperative to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to compile all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the academy and program you select are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Berkeley California.
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