How to Enroll In the Right Esthetician College Near West Hartford Connecticut
Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near West Hartford CT, the process begins to locate and enroll in the right program. It's essential that the school you select not only furnishes the proper training for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you may be a little bit confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your West Hartford residence. Tuition will additionally be an important consideration when reviewing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it's not automatically the right option. There are various other qualifications that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the aesthetician schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a little bit about what kinds of courses are available.
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Esthetician 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
An esthetician is a professional skin specialist who identifies cosmetic issues (such as wrinkles, pigmentation, or blemishes) and applies treatments to improve their condition. Most estheticians perform skin treatments like facials, superficial chemical peels, body treatments, skin conditioning, and blemish extraction, but they may also do waxing, lash extensions, and makeovers. Estheticians, unlike licensed cosmetologists, are also able to provide advanced treatments like microdermabrasion, chemical peels, light therapy, and hair removal. They may also educate clients on products, skincare regimens, and the benefits of esthetic procedures. Medical estheticians in clinical settings may help people identify and recover from health issues affecting the skin, such as working with cancer patients or burn victims after surgical procedures. Typically an esthetician works with a client in a spa or salon setting. Some estheticians work in a medical setting to complement medical services, such as in a dermatologist’s office, but they are not medical professionals. Estheticians may also work in locations as varied as West Hartford Connecticut nursing facilities, luxury resorts, dermatologist offices or hospitals.
Online Esthetician Schools
Online esthetician schools are accommodating for West Hartford CT 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 cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are often fast paced since many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not spending numerous hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's vital that the program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's impossible to obtain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So don't forget if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Esthetics Trade Schools
Below is a list of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your West Hartford home, in addition to the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly 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 narrowed your school options 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 collected several of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's necessary 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous West Hartford CT employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews along with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with West Hartford CT salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, 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 Connecticut school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of 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 instance 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 focuses on 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 respected for that program. If your dream is to open a West Hartford CT beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Picking a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques requires lots 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 allow students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty academy furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for developing your skills. So try to find alternate schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's imperative that she or he receives aid in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer help develop relationships with West Hartford CT businesses that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid 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 office. Speak with a counselor and identify 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 also. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you find out what financial assistance may be offered.
More Info on How to Become an Aesthetician in West Hartford
Enroll in the Best West Hartford Esthetician Course
Locating and enrolling in the right esthetician school is imperative to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to organize all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on 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 college and program you select are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to begin your career as a professional esthetician in West Hartford Connecticut.
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