How to Find the Right Esthetician Course Near Sacramento California
Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Sacramento CA, the task starts to find and enroll in the right program. It's imperative that the school you choose not only furnishes the proper training for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you may be somewhat confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Sacramento home. Tuition will likewise be a critical aspect when reviewing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it's not always the best option. There are various other considerations that you should weigh when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let's talk a little bit about what kinds of training programs are available.
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Esthetics Training Programs
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 provide a wide range of beauty services to help their Sacramento 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 Esthetician Training
Online esthetician programs are convenient for Sacramento CA students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are many web-based beauty school programs available that can be accessed by means of a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional beauty schools are typically fast paced given that many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you're not spending many hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's essential that the program 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 part of the training, it's difficult to gain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Esthetician Trade Schools
Below is a list of questions that you should research for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Sacramento home, together with the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably 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 should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled some of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's necessary to make certain that the esthetician school you pick 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Sacramento CA businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each esthetician institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews together with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Sacramento CA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And finally, consult the California school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific 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 pick 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 desire is to open a Sacramento 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 regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and mastering esthetician skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy offers little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. So try to find other schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's important that he or she gets aid in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help develop relationships with Sacramento CA employers that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Almost all esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and learn 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 meets all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you find out what financial assistance may be offered.
Find Out How to Become an Aesthetician in Sacramento
Enroll in the Right Sacramento Esthetician Course
Selecting and enrolling in the right esthetician college is imperative to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Don't forget to compile all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the academy and program you decide on are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Sacramento California.
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