How to Select the Best Esthetician Classes Near Colchester Connecticut
Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Colchester CT, the process begins to search for and enroll in the best program. It's essential that the school you select not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you might be somewhat confused 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 kind of school. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Colchester residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical consideration when reviewing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not automatically the best option. There are several other factors that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for example 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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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 Colchester Connecticut 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 Schools
Online esthetician programs are advantageous for Colchester CT students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online beauty school programs available that can be accessed by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty programs are typically fast paced because many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours away from your home or commuting to and from classes. On the other hand, it's imperative that the program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it's difficult to gain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Aesthetician Training Courses
Below is a list of questions that you should research for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Colchester home, together with the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn 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 program. Below we have compiled several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's essential to make sure that the esthetician training program you select 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Colchester CT employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Colchester CT salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. Finally, contact the Connecticut school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you enroll in a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your goal 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 aspiration is to launch a Colchester CT beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator as well. Selecting a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Studying and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty program offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's important that he or she receives support in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develop relationships with Colchester CT employers that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, 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 regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Almost all esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Consult with 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 available to students as well. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not omit it as an alternative until you learn what financial assistance may be available.
Find Out How to Become an Esthetician in Colchester
Enroll in the Best Colchester Esthetician Program
Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is imperative to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to organize all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the academy and program you choose are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are ready to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Colchester Connecticut.
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