How to Choose the Best Esthetician School Near Clifton Colorado
Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Clifton CO, the process starts to locate and enroll in the ideal program. It's imperative that the program you choose not only provides the proper instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be somewhat unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Clifton home. Tuition will additionally be an important factor when reviewing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not always the right choice. There are various other qualifications that you should evaluate when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let's discuss a little bit about what kinds of courses are offered.
It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Esthetician Career Below!
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 (or aestheticians) are skin care specialists who typically work in Clifton Colorado 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 Esthetics Programs
Online esthetician classes are accommodating for Clifton CO students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed through a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are frequently fast paced since many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you're not spending many hours outside of your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it's imperative that the school you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it's impossible to acquire the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Esthetics Training Programs
Following is a list of questions that you will want to research for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Clifton residence, as well as the cost of tuition, will probably be your first 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 options 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 collected some 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 school you enroll in 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Clifton CO businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Clifton CO salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. Finally, consult the Colorado school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you select 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 desire is to launch a Clifton CO beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator as well. Choosing a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Practicing and refining esthetician skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty academy furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. Therefore look for other schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's essential that she or he receives help in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with Clifton CO businesses that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students as well. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you learn what financial assistance may be offered.
Learn How to Become an Aesthetician in Clifton
Enroll in the Right Clifton Esthetician Training
Finding and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is important to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to consolidate all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the academy and program you decide on are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you start 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 right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Clifton Colorado.