How to Enroll In the Best Esthetician College Near Colorado Springs Colorado
Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Colorado Springs CO, the task begins to locate and enroll in the best program. It's imperative that the school you select not only provides the appropriate training for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you may be a little bit unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Colorado Springs residence. Tuition will also be a critical factor when reviewing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it's not automatically the right choice. There are various other factors that you should evaluate when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what types of courses are available.
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Esthetician 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 (or aestheticians) are skin care specialists who typically work in Colorado Springs 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 Esthetician Courses
Online esthetician schools are accommodating for Colorado Springs CO students who are employed full-time and have family commitments that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed via a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty schools are often fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you're not spending numerous hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it's important that the training program you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's difficult to gain the skills necessary 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 available in your area.
Questions to Ask Esthetician Schools
Following is a list of questions that you should research for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Colorado Springs residence, as well as the expense of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to earn 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. Below we have put together several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's important 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 agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Colorado Springs CO businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Colorado Springs CO salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And last, contact the Colorado school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? A number of 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, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you choose a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your vision is to launch a Colorado Springs CO beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct 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 Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. Therefore look for other schools that furnish this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's important that she or he gets aid in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish aid maintain relationships with Colorado Springs CO businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Many esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check 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 is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students as well. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you find out what financial help may be offered.
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Enroll in the Right Colorado Springs Esthetician Course
Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is important to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Don't forget to collect all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you pick are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, 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. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are qualified to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Colorado Springs Colorado.
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