How to Select the Right Esthetician Course Near Meriden Connecticut
Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Meriden CT, the process starts to search for and enroll in the ideal program. It's essential that the school you pick not only furnishes the appropriate training for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary 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 pertain to the same kind of school. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Meriden home. Tuition will also be a critical factor when reviewing possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not necessarily the best choice. There are a number of other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let's talk a little bit about what types of training programs are available.
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Esthetician 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 provide a wide range of beauty services to help their Meriden 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 Esthetics Training
Online esthetician programs are advantageous for Meriden CT students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous online beauty school programs offered that can be attended through a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional beauty programs are often fast paced because many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not spending numerous hours away from your home or driving to and from classes. On the other hand, it's important that the program you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it's impossible to acquire the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Esthetics Training Courses
Below is a series of questions that you should investigate for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Meriden home, together with the cost of tuition, will probably 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 reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's necessary to make certain that the esthetician school you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Meriden CT businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews along with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Meriden CT salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. And finally, check with the Connecticut school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you enroll in a school that focuses on 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 desire is to launch a Meriden CT beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Choosing a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician skills and techniques involves lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for developing your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's crucial that he or she gets aid in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid maintain relationships with Meriden CT businesses that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, 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 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 office. Speak with a counselor and identify 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 also. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not omit it as an alternative before you determine what financial aid may be provided.
Learn How to Become an Esthetician in Meriden
Enroll in the Best Meriden Esthetician Training
Finding and enrolling in the right esthetician program is imperative to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to collect all of the responses you get from the beauty 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 process is to make sure that the school and program you decide on are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal 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 Meriden Connecticut.
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