How to Choose the Best Aesthetician Program Near Redwood City California
Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Redwood City CA, the task begins to locate and enroll in the best program. It's important that the program you choose not only provides the appropriate training for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you might be somewhat unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. If you plan 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 reviewing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it's not necessarily the ideal option. There are a number of other considerations that you should evaluate when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a little bit about what types of programs are available.
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Esthetics 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 Redwood City 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 Training
Online esthetician schools are convenient for Redwood City CA students who are employed full-time and have family commitments that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty programs are often fast paced because many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not devoting many hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it's important that the program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's difficult to obtain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. 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 Aesthetician Programs
Following is a series of questions that you need to look into for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Redwood City home, in addition to the price of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's essential to make certain that the esthetician school you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Redwood City CA employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Redwood City CA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. And last, check with the California school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating 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 typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you select a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your goal 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 dream 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 ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Studying and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty program offers little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best option for developing your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's crucial that he or she receives assistance in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develop relationships with Redwood City CA employers that are searching for trained 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. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? The majority of 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 department. Consult with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students too. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not omit it as an alternative before you determine what financial aid may be provided.
Find Out How to Become an Aesthetician in Redwood City
Enroll in the Right Redwood City Esthetician Program
Picking and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is imperative to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to organize all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the institution and program you choose are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Redwood City California.
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