How to Select the Best Aesthetician College Near Redwood City California
Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Redwood City CA, the process begins to search for and enroll in the right program. It's imperative that the program you select not only provides the appropriate training for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be rather unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Redwood City residence. Tuition will also be a critical consideration when assessing prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it's not necessarily the right option. There are a number of other qualifications 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 within this article. Before we do, let's talk a bit about what kinds of programs are offered.
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Esthetics Degrees and Certificates
There are basically two avenues offered to obtain esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate's degree. Certificate programs usually take 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate's degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also most likely incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Redwood City CA business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master's degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you go with, it's important to make certain that it's certified by the California Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the following segment.
Online Esthetician Training
Online esthetician classes are accommodating for Redwood City CA students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty schools are frequently fast paced because many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not spending many hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it's imperative that the school you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's difficult to obtain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So don't forget if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Aesthetician Programs
Following is a series of questions that you will want to research for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Redwood City home, as well as the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final selection.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's essential to make certain that the esthetician school you pick 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 comply with their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Redwood City CA businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. 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, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Redwood City CA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And finally, contact the California school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you pick a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your dream is to launch a Redwood City CA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Selecting a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty school furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best option for developing your skills. Therefore search for other schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's crucial that he or she receives support in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer assistance maintain relationships with Redwood City CA businesses that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs 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. Higher rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Talk to 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 too. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an option until you learn what financial aid may be offered.
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Enroll in the Best Redwood City Esthetician Training
Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is imperative to obtain the appropriate 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 organize all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the institution and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this article, 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 examination, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to start your career as a professional esthetician in Redwood City California.
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