How to Find the Right Aesthetician Training Near San Luis Obispo California
Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near San Luis Obispo CA, the process begins to locate and enroll in the right program. It's important that the school you pick not only provides the proper training for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be somewhat unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your San Luis Obispo residence. Tuition will likewise be an important factor when evaluating potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it's not always the right choice. There are several other considerations that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what kinds 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 provide a wide range of beauty services to help their San Luis Obispo 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 Programs
Online esthetician classes are advantageous for San Luis Obispo CA students who are working full-time and have family commitments that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are typically fast paced since many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you're not spending numerous hours outside of your home or commuting to and from classes. However, it's vital that the school you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's impossible to obtain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So don't forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Aesthetician Programs
Following is a list of questions that you should research for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your San Luis Obispo home, together with the cost of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's essential to make sure that the esthetician college you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many San Luis Obispo CA businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing 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 San Luis Obispo CA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. And last, check with the California school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you decide on a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your desire is to launch a San Luis Obispo 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 rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Studying and refining esthetician techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on people. 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 skills on volunteers. If a beauty program offers limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's crucial that she or he receives assistance in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide aid develop relationships with San Luis Obispo CA employers that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Almost all esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at 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 available to students too. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not drop it as an alternative before you find out what financial aid may be provided.
Learn How to Become an Aesthetician in San Luis Obispo
Enroll in the Best San Luis Obispo Esthetician Training
Picking and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is imperative to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to compile all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the academy and program you select are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are ready to start your new career as a professional esthetician in San Luis Obispo California.
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