How to Pick the Right Aesthetician College Near Redwood City California

Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Redwood City CA, the process starts to locate and enroll in the right program. It's essential that the program you choose not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you may be somewhat puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Redwood City home. Tuition will additionally be an important factor when assessing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it's not automatically the right option. There are many other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the aesthetician schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let's discuss a little bit about what types of programs are offered.

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Esthetics Training Requirements

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 (or aestheticians) are skin care specialists who typically work in Redwood City California spas and salons as well as resorts and medical facilities to provide a variety of treatments for their clients. Some of the typical duties of an esthetician include performing deep skin cleansing and treatments, hair removal, and massages. Estheticians also recommend skincare treatments, products, and regimens to their clients. Many estheticians are self-employed, which allows them to set their schedules and work where they wish. However, these professionals still often need to work evenings and weekends. These skin care specialists also spend much of their time standing and may be exposed to harmful chemicals. Certified estheticians have excellent customer service and communication skills. They're adept at time management, observation and monitoring and are competent in understanding and using the tools necessary for facial procedures and extractions. Certified estheticians are familiar with medical, spreadsheets, and word processing software. They present a professional appearance and have the physical fitness to stand for prolonged periods of time. A career in esthetics generally requires working evening and weekend hours.

Online Esthetics Classes

Online esthetician classes are advantageous for Redwood City CA students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online beauty school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are frequently fast paced because many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not spending numerous hours outside of your home or travelling to and from classes. However, it's imperative that the training program you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it's difficult to acquire the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Aesthetician Training Programs

Below is a series of questions that you should investigate for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Redwood City residence, together with the expense of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have put together several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's necessary to make sure that the esthetician college you enroll in 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Redwood City CA businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation?  Any esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements 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 demanded. Check rating companies for reviews together with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Redwood City CA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. Finally, consult 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 expansive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you choose 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 respected for that program. If your vision is to start a Redwood City CA beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator as well. Selecting a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.

Is Any Live Training Provided?  Practicing and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques involves 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 make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty program provides limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's imperative that he or she gets support in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer aid develop 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. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered?  Many esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. 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 available to students also. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not omit it as an alternative before you learn what financial help may be offered.

Find Out How to Become an Esthetician in Redwood City

Enroll in the Best Redwood City Esthetician Training

Selecting and enrolling in the right esthetician college is imperative to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Don't forget to collect all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the academy and program you pick are accredited and have excellent 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 choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are ready to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Redwood City California.

 

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