How to Enroll In the Best Esthetician Program Near Oakland California

Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Oakland CA, the process begins to locate and enroll in the right program. It's imperative that the school you pick not only furnishes the appropriate training for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you might be rather puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Oakland home. Tuition will likewise be a critical factor when evaluating potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it's not necessarily the right option. There are a number of other qualifications that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let's talk a little bit about what types of programs are offered.

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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 provide a wide range of beauty services to help their Oakland 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 Courses

Online esthetician programs are accommodating for Oakland CA students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed through a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are often fast paced because many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you're not spending many hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it's vital that the school you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's difficult to obtain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Training Courses

Following is a list of questions that you should investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Oakland home, in addition to the price of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like 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 additional factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's important to make sure that the esthetician college you choose 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Oakland CA employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation?  Each esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Oakland CA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And last, contact 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 broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you select a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your intention 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 Oakland CA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Choosing a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.

Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided?  Studying and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques involves lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  Once a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's imperative that she or he gets aid in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide aid maintain relationships with Oakland CA businesses that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered?  Almost all esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. 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 offered to students as well. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an alternative before you learn what financial assistance may be offered.

Learn How to Become an Esthetician in Oakland

Enroll in the Right Oakland Esthetician Course

Picking and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is important to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Don't forget to consolidate all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you choose are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are ready to start your career as a professional esthetician in Oakland California.

 

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