How to Find the Best Aesthetician School Near Lakewood Colorado
Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Lakewood CO, the process begins to locate and enroll in the right program. It's essential that the program you choose not only provides the proper training for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be somewhat puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Lakewood home. Tuition will also be a critical consideration when evaluating potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it's not automatically the right option. There are various other considerations that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let's talk a bit about what kinds of training programs are offered.
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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 Lakewood 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 Training
Online esthetician programs are advantageous for Lakewood CO students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs offered that can be accessed through a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are typically fast paced since many programs are as brief as six or eight 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 are not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's essential that the school you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it's difficult to gain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So don't forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Esthetics Programs
Below is a list of questions that you will want to research for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Lakewood residence, in addition to the price of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial 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 additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's necessary to make certain that the esthetician college 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 comply with their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable 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 Lakewood CO employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding 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, showing that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Lakewood CO salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. And last, contact the Colorado school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive 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 typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you enroll in a school that specializes in 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 well regarded for that program. If your desire is to start a Lakewood CO beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Choosing a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician skills and techniques demands lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty academy furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's crucial that she or he gets aid in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance maintain relationships with Lakewood CO employers that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and learn 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 accessible to students too. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not discard it as an alternative until you find out what financial aid may be offered.
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Enroll in the Best Lakewood Esthetician Program
Choosing and enrolling in the right esthetician college is important to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Don't forget to organize all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you select are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this article, 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 exam, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Lakewood Colorado.
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