How to Find the Right Aesthetician School Near Oakland California
Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Oakland CA, the process begins to search for and enroll in the right program. It's essential that the program you choose not only furnishes the necessary education for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be somewhat unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both relate 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 Oakland home. Tuition will also be an important consideration when reviewing prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it's not automatically the best choice. There are several other qualifications that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the aesthetician schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let's talk a little bit about what types of programs are available.
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Esthetics Training Requirements
An esthetics program may be found in a school of cosmetology, a dedicated esthetics school or, in some cases, a junior college. An esthetics program’s length is generally determined by the state in which it is located, as each state board of cosmetology sets minimum requirements for the number of hours of training an esthetics program must provide to meet the state’s licensing requirements. However, it is also quite common for esthetics programs to offer more extensive study beyond what is required for licensing purposes. In general, an esthetics program consists of about 600 hours, a common requirement in many states. However, a number of states require less than 600 hours and perhaps just as many require more than 600. Most state boards of cosmetology maintain lists of approved programs of esthetics within the state, while others recognize all programs that meet the state’s minimum clock-hour requirement. A comprehensive esthetics program includes instruction not only in esthetic treatment procedures and services, but in areas such as the structure of the skin and its function, disorders of the skin, and professional business skills.
Esthetician Job Description
An esthetician is a professional skin specialist who identifies cosmetic issues (such as wrinkles, pigmentation, or blemishes) and applies treatments to improve their condition. Most estheticians perform skin treatments like facials, superficial chemical peels, body treatments, skin conditioning, and blemish extraction, but they may also do waxing, lash extensions, and makeovers. Estheticians, unlike licensed cosmetologists, are also able to provide advanced treatments like microdermabrasion, chemical peels, light therapy, and hair removal. They may also educate clients on products, skincare regimens, and the benefits of esthetic procedures. Medical estheticians in clinical settings may help people identify and recover from health issues affecting the skin, such as working with cancer patients or burn victims after surgical procedures. Typically an esthetician works with a client in a spa or salon setting. Some estheticians work in a medical setting to complement medical services, such as in a dermatologist’s office, but they are not medical professionals. Estheticians may also work in locations as varied as Oakland California nursing facilities, luxury resorts, dermatologist offices or hospitals.
Online Esthetician Training
Online esthetician classes are convenient for Oakland CA students who are working full time and have family commitments that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs offered that can be accessed through a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional beauty schools are frequently fast paced since many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you're not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it's imperative that the program you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it's difficult to obtain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Aesthetician Trade Schools
Below is a list of questions that you should investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Oakland home, together with the cost of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's necessary to make sure that the esthetician school you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Oakland CA employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Oakland CA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. And finally, contact the California school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing 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 imperative that you pick 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 vision is to start a Oakland CA beauty salon, then you need 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 weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and mastering esthetician skills and techniques involves lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty academy provides little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best option for cultivating your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's crucial that he or she gets assistance in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with Oakland CA employers that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected 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 reviewing have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and learn 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 available to students too. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not drop it as an alternative until you determine what financial assistance may be offered.
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Enroll in the Best Oakland Esthetician Course
Finding and enrolling in the right esthetician program is essential to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to collect all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you select are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are ready to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Oakland California.
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