How to Enroll In the Best Esthetician Classes Near Brea California
Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Brea CA, the task starts to search for and enroll in the best program. It's imperative that the school you pick not only provides the necessary instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be a little bit unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Brea residence. Tuition will also be an important consideration when reviewing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it's not necessarily the right choice. There are many other factors that you should evaluate when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let's talk a little bit about what kinds of programs are available.
It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Esthetician Career Below!
Esthetics 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 (or aestheticians) are skin care specialists who typically work in Brea 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 Programs
Online esthetician programs are accommodating for Brea CA students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs offered that can be accessed via a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty programs are frequently fast paced since many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you're not devoting numerous hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it's essential that the school you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's impossible to obtain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So don't forget if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Esthetician Trade Schools
Following is a series of questions that you will want to research for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Brea home, in addition to the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed 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 school. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's necessary to make sure that the esthetician training program you pick 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 meet their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Brea CA businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good 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. Visit rating companies for reviews along with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Brea CA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. Finally, consult the California school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing 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 commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important 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 Brea CA beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Choosing a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology lessons 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 school furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best option for developing your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's imperative that he or she gets aid in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance develop relationships with Brea CA employers that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Many esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Speak with 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 too. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an alternative until you determine what financial help may be offered.
More Info on How to Become an Aesthetician in Brea
Enroll in the Right Brea Esthetician Training
Locating and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is important to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to consolidate all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the college and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are prepared to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Brea California.