How to Select the Right Aesthetician Training Near Santa Rosa California

Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Santa Rosa CA, the task starts to find and enroll in the right program. It's imperative that the school you select not only furnishes the proper instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you may be a little bit puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Santa Rosa residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical consideration when evaluating prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it's not necessarily the ideal option. There are many other factors that you should weigh when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the aesthetician schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a little bit about what types of programs are offered.

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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 (or aestheticians) are skin care specialists who typically work in Santa Rosa 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 Esthetician Classes

Online esthetician schools are accommodating for Santa Rosa CA students who are working full-time and have family commitments that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional beauty programs are often fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you're not devoting numerous hours away from your home or driving to and from classes. On the other hand, it's imperative that the program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's difficult to gain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Aesthetician Trade Schools

Below is a series of questions that you need to look into for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Santa Rosa residence, in addition to the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to earn 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 additional 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 need to ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's important to make sure that the esthetician school you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Santa Rosa 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 an Excellent Reputation?  Every esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Santa Rosa CA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the field, 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 thought of. Finally, check with the California school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus?  Some esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing 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 commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you pick a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your vision is to start a Santa Rosa CA beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach 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 provide the training you need.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided?  Practicing and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty school offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for developing your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's crucial that he or she gets aid in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide help develop relationships with Santa Rosa CA employers that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Available?  Many esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students as well. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an option until you determine what financial assistance may be provided.

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Enroll in the Right Santa Rosa Esthetician Course

Selecting and enrolling in the right esthetician program is important to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to organize all of the information 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 sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the academy and program you decide on are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are ready to start your career as a professional esthetician in Santa Rosa California.

 

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