How to Choose the Best Esthetician Training Near Westminster Colorado
Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Westminster CO, the task begins to find and enroll in the best program. It's important that the school you pick not only furnishes the necessary instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you may be somewhat confused about the contrast 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 intend on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Westminster home. Tuition will additionally be an important aspect when assessing potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it's not necessarily the ideal option. There are a number of other factors that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the aesthetician schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what types 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 provide a wide range of beauty services to help their Westminster 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 Courses
Online esthetician classes are convenient for Westminster CO students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional beauty programs are typically fast paced since many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you're not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it's imperative that the program you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it's difficult to gain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Aesthetician Training Programs
Following is a series of questions that you should research for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Westminster home, in addition to the cost 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 reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled some of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's important to make sure that the esthetician college you pick 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Westminster CO employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Westminster CO salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. Finally, consult the Colorado school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you decide on a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your intention 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 dream is to start a Westminster 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 ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and refining esthetician skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty program furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on using mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's important that he or she receives assistance in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide aid develop relationships with Westminster CO employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Many esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask 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 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 satisfies each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not drop it as an option before you determine what financial assistance may be offered.
More Info on How to Become an Esthetician in Westminster
Enroll in the Best Westminster Esthetician Program
Choosing and enrolling in the right esthetician college is imperative to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to organize all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the academy and program you pick are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are prepared to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Westminster Colorado.
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