How to Enroll In the Best Aesthetician Program Near El Cerrito California
Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near El Cerrito CA, the task begins to search for and enroll in the best program. It's important that the school you pick not only furnishes the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you might be somewhat puzzled about the difference 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 intend on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your El Cerrito residence. Tuition will also be an important factor when reviewing potential schools. Just remember 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 reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the aesthetician schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let's talk a bit about what kinds of training programs are available.
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Esthetician 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 El Cerrito 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 Esthetics Schools
Online esthetician programs are advantageous for El Cerrito CA students who are working full-time and have family commitments that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online beauty school programs offered that can be accessed via a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty schools are frequently fast paced because many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you're not devoting many hours away from your home or driving to and from classes. However, it's imperative that the program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also obtain 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 facet of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Esthetics Programs
Following is a list of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your El Cerrito residence, as well as the cost of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed 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 program. Below we have compiled several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's important to make sure that the esthetician college 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 assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which often 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 concluding benefit, a number of El Cerrito CA employers will not recruit 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 exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews together with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with El Cerrito CA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And finally, contact the California school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you decide on a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your objective 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 open a El Cerrito CA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator as well. Picking a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty academy provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on using mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's important that he or she receives help in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with El Cerrito CA businesses that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are contemplating 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 verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and identify 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 accessible to students also. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not discard it as an alternative until you learn what financial assistance may be available.
Learn How to Become an Esthetician in El Cerrito
Enroll in the Right El Cerrito Esthetician Program
Finding and enrolling in the right esthetician school is imperative to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to collect all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize 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 college and program you select are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in El Cerrito California.
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