How to Pick the Right Aesthetician Program Near Boulder Colorado
Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Boulder CO, the process begins to search for and enroll in the right program. It's imperative that the program you select not only furnishes the proper instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be somewhat puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are pretty much 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 Boulder residence. Tuition will also be an important consideration when evaluating potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it's not necessarily the best choice. There are many other factors that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the aesthetician schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a little bit about what kinds of training programs are available.
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Esthetician 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 Boulder Colorado 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 Classes
Online esthetician classes are advantageous for Boulder CO students who are working full-time and have family commitments that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online beauty school programs offered that can be accessed through a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty schools are frequently fast paced given that many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you're not devoting many hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's important that the school you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also obtain 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 field. So don't forget if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Esthetician Degree Programs
Following is a series of questions that you need to look into for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Boulder residence, together with the price of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have put together some of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's necessary to make certain that the esthetician training program you pick 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 measure up to their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered 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 Boulder CO employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews along with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Boulder CO salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. And last, check with the Colorado school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently 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 objective 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 open a Boulder CO 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 weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and mastering esthetician skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. Therefore search for other schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's important that he or she receives aid in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer help maintain relationships with Boulder CO businesses that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students also. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an option until you determine what financial assistance may be offered.
Learn How to Become an Esthetician in Boulder
Enroll in the Right Boulder Esthetician Program
Picking and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is essential to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to collect all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the institution and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions supplied 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 exam, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to start your career as a professional esthetician in Boulder Colorado.
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