How to Select the Right Aesthetician College Near Menlo Park California

Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Menlo Park CA, the process starts to locate and enroll in the right program. It's important that the school you choose not only provides the appropriate education for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be rather confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Menlo Park home. Tuition will also be an important consideration when evaluating potential 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 a number of other considerations that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a little bit about what types of courses are available.

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Esthetics Training Programs

Esthetics programs, which are available through dedicated schools of esthetics, career colleges or schools of cosmetology, must meet the requirements set forth by each state’s board of cosmetology. Most states recognize esthetics programs that consist of 600 hours of coursework and practical training as meeting the requirements for licensure, although a number of states require more hours while others require significantly fewer. For example, esthetician license candidates in Wisconsin must complete a program that is at least 450 hours long, while candidates in Indiana must complete a program consisting of at least 700 hours. Esthetics programs blend theory and practical study to introduce students to everything from skin histology and sanitation practices to the safe application of facial products and makeup. These programs also include coursework that covers the business, ethics and professional standards of the esthetics industry.

Esthetician Job Description

Estheticians provide a wide range of beauty services to help their Menlo Park 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 Esthetics Courses

Online esthetician schools are convenient for Menlo Park CA students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs offered that can be accessed via a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty schools are often fast paced given that many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you're not devoting many hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it's imperative that the school you select 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 portion of the training, it's difficult to acquire the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Aesthetician Trade Schools

Below is a list of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Menlo Park home, together with the price of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly 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 need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have collected some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's necessary to make sure that the esthetician school you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Menlo Park CA employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation?  Any esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Menlo Park CA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And last, check with the California school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus?  A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you choose a school that specializes in 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 well regarded for that program. If your desire is to launch a Menlo Park CA beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator as well. Choosing a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided?  Practicing and refining esthetician techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty school provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. Therefore look for other schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  Once a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's crucial that he or she gets support in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with Menlo Park CA employers that are searching for skilled 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, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available?  Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and find out 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 too. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not omit it as an option until you learn what financial aid may be provided.

Learn How to Become an Esthetician in Menlo Park

Enroll in the Best Menlo Park Esthetician Training

Locating and enrolling in the right esthetician school is imperative to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the institution and program you choose 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 proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are ready to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Menlo Park California.

 

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