How to Find the Best Esthetician School Near Pleasanton California

Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Pleasanton CA, the process starts to search for and enroll in the right program. It's important that the school you choose not only furnishes the proper training for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be somewhat puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Pleasanton home. Tuition will likewise be an important aspect when reviewing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it's not automatically the ideal option. There are several other qualifications that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what kinds of courses are offered.

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Esthetician 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 Pleasanton 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 Schools

Online esthetician programs are convenient for Pleasanton CA students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty schools are frequently fast paced since many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you're not spending many hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it's essential that the school you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's difficult to gain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Schools

Following is a list of questions that you will want to look into for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Pleasanton residence, as well as the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have collected several of those additional 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 recognized local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with 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 available for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Pleasanton CA businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation?  Any esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional 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. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Pleasanton CA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And finally, contact the California school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty?  Some esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you choose a school that focuses on 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 well regarded for that program. If your dream is to open a Pleasanton 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 regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.

Is Enough Live Training Provided?  Learning and mastering esthetician skills and techniques involves lots of practice on people. Check 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 academy offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that provide 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 gets help in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with Pleasanton CA employers that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Available?  Many esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students also. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an option before you determine what financial assistance may be available.

Learn How to Become an Aesthetician in Pleasanton

Enroll in the Right Pleasanton Esthetician Program

Finding and enrolling in the right esthetician school is imperative to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Make certain to compile all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the academy and program you pick are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Pleasanton California.

 

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