How to Choose the Right Esthetician School Near New Britain Connecticut
Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near New Britain CT, the process begins to find and enroll in the best program. It's essential that the school you pick not only provides the necessary training for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be rather unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your New Britain residence. Tuition will additionally be an important consideration when assessing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not necessarily the ideal option. There are a number of other considerations that you should weigh 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 in this article. Before we do, let's talk a bit about what types of programs are available.
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Esthetics Training Requirements
An esthetics program may be found in a school of cosmetology, a dedicated esthetics school or, in some cases, a junior college. An esthetics program’s length is generally determined by the state in which it is located, as each state board of cosmetology sets minimum requirements for the number of hours of training an esthetics program must provide to meet the state’s licensing requirements. However, it is also quite common for esthetics programs to offer more extensive study beyond what is required for licensing purposes. In general, an esthetics program consists of about 600 hours, a common requirement in many states. However, a number of states require less than 600 hours and perhaps just as many require more than 600. Most state boards of cosmetology maintain lists of approved programs of esthetics within the state, while others recognize all programs that meet the state’s minimum clock-hour requirement. A comprehensive esthetics program includes instruction not only in esthetic treatment procedures and services, but in areas such as the structure of the skin and its function, disorders of the skin, and professional business skills.
Esthetician Job Description
As skilled skincare experts, estheticians need to be knowledgeable of everything from skin histology and physiology to bacteriology and sanitation protocols. As beauty professionals, estheticians must be trained to perform the services that promote healthy, radiant skin – including everything from hair removal methods, pore cleansing and extractions to microdermabrasion, makeup artistry, chemical peels, and light therapy. As beauty and wellness experts, people also turn to estheticians for consultations, advice, and tips for home skincare regimens. They may recommend products, educate clients, and recommend esthetic procedures based on their clients’ needs and wants. Their work environments can include New Britain Connecticut spas, resorts, salons, hospitals, nursing facilities and dermatologist offices.
Online Esthetics Classes
Online esthetician classes are accommodating for New Britain CT students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs available that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are often fast paced because many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you're not spending numerous hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's imperative that the program you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it's impossible to acquire the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Aesthetician Programs
Following is a list of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your New Britain residence, as well as the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have put together several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's important to make sure that the esthetician training program you choose 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards assuring a superior 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 prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many New Britain CT employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with New Britain CT salon owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. And finally, contact the Connecticut school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you pick a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your objective is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your aspiration is to open a New Britain 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 poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and refining esthetician techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty school provides limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best option for cultivating your skills. So search for alternate schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's important that he or she receives support in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develop relationships with New Britain CT employers that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and find out 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 offered to students also. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an option before you determine what financial help may be offered.
Find Out How to Become an Aesthetician in New Britain
Enroll in the Right New Britain Esthetician Program
Picking and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is essential to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Don't forget to consolidate all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are ready to begin your career as a professional esthetician in New Britain Connecticut.
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