How to Find the Right Esthetician Training Program Near Brentwood California
Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Brentwood CA, the task begins to search for and enroll in the ideal program. It's imperative that the school you pick not only provides the necessary instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be somewhat puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are pretty much 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 Brentwood residence. Tuition will also be an important consideration when reviewing prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not always the best choice. There are various other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what types of courses are available.
It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Esthetician Career Below!
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 provide a wide range of beauty services to help their Brentwood 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 Classes
Online esthetician classes are advantageous for Brentwood CA students who are working full time and have family commitments that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be attended via a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty schools are typically fast paced given that many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not spending numerous hours away from your home or commuting to and from classes. On the other hand, it's important that the school you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's impossible to acquire the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Esthetics Training Courses
Following is a series of questions that you need to look into for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Brentwood residence, together with the price of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's important to make certain 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 ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Brentwood CA employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews together with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Brentwood CA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And finally, consult the California school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? A number of 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, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you pick a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your vision is to launch a Brentwood CA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Picking a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Learning and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty program furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for developing your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that furnish this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's crucial that he or she receives help in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance develop relationships with Brentwood CA businesses that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools 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 confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Almost all esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. 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 available to students too. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not drop it as an alternative before you find out what financial assistance may be offered.
Find Out How to Become an Aesthetician in Brentwood
Enroll in the Right Brentwood Esthetician Course
Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is essential to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain 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 contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the school and program you decide on are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Brentwood California.
Brentwood Esthetician Schools Near Me | Brentwood Esthetician Programs