How to Enroll In the Right Aesthetician College Near Lafayette Colorado
Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Lafayette CO, the process begins to find and enroll in the right program. It's imperative that the program you pick not only provides the necessary training for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may be rather puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Lafayette residence. Tuition will additionally be an important aspect when reviewing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it's not always the right choice. There are many other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let's talk a bit about what types of training programs are available.
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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 Lafayette 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 Courses
Online esthetician programs are accommodating for Lafayette CO students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs available that can be attended through a desktop 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 six or eight months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not devoting many hours away from your home or travelling to and from classes. However, it's essential that the training program you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's impossible to gain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Esthetician Programs
Below is a list of questions that you need to look into for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Lafayette home, in addition to the price of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to earn 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 initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's necessary to make sure that the esthetician college you choose 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Lafayette CO employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews together with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Lafayette CO salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And finally, check with the Colorado school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive 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 frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you choose a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your goal is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your dream is to start a Lafayette CO beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Picking a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty academy furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the best option for acquiring your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's crucial that she or he gets aid in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide aid maintain relationships with Lafayette CO businesses that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, find out 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 Available? Many esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students also. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an alternative until you determine what financial help may be available.
More Info on How to Become an Esthetician in Lafayette
Enroll in the Right Lafayette Esthetician Training
Choosing and enrolling in the right esthetician program is imperative to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Make certain to collect all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the institution and program you select are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, 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 right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are ready to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Lafayette Colorado.
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