How to Find the Best Aesthetician Training Program Near Largo Florida
Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Largo FL, the task starts to search for and enroll in the best program. It's important that the program you pick not only provides the proper education for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start 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 basically interchangeable and both relate 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 Largo home. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when reviewing prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it's not necessarily the best choice. There are several other considerations that you should weigh when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the aesthetician schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let's talk a bit about what kinds of training programs are offered.
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Esthetics 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 Largo Florida 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 Programs
Online esthetician programs are convenient for Largo FL students who are employed full-time and have family commitments that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs available that can be attended through a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional beauty programs are frequently fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not spending many hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's essential that the program you choose can provide internship training in local 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 difficult to gain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Aesthetician Schools
Below is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Largo home, together with the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's necessary to make certain that the esthetician training program you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national agency, 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 may also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Largo FL employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews along with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Largo FL salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. Finally, check with the Florida school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating 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 typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you pick 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 well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to launch a Largo FL beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator as well. Choosing a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Practicing and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty school provides limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's crucial that she or he receives help in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer aid develop relationships with Largo FL employers that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, ask 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? Almost all esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students too. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you determine what financial assistance may be available.
Find Out How to Become an Esthetician in Largo
Enroll in the Best Largo Esthetician Program
Choosing and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is important to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Don't forget to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the school and program you choose are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Largo Florida.