How to Choose the Best Esthetician School Near Lehigh Acres Florida
Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Lehigh Acres FL, the process starts to find and enroll in the right program. It's essential that the program you choose not only provides the appropriate education for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be somewhat confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Lehigh Acres residence. Tuition will additionally be an important aspect when evaluating potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it's not always the ideal option. There are many other considerations that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let's talk a bit about what kinds of training 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 Lehigh Acres Florida spas, resorts, salons, hospitals, nursing facilities and dermatologist offices.
Online Esthetics Courses
Online esthetician programs are accommodating for Lehigh Acres FL students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous online beauty school programs available that can be attended by means of a desktop 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 substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not spending numerous hours away from your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it's essential that the training program you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it's impossible to obtain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Esthetician Training Courses
Following is a series of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Lehigh Acres home, as well as the cost of tuition, will most likely 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 narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have collected some of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's important to make sure 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Lehigh Acres FL businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Lehigh Acres FL salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And last, consult the Florida school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted 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 specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you select a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your vision is to start a Lehigh Acres FL beauty salon, then you want 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 weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques requires lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided 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 school provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on using mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's important that she or he receives assistance in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide help develop relationships with Lehigh Acres FL employers that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Almost all esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might 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 all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an option before you find out what financial aid may be provided.
Find Out How to Become an Aesthetician in Lehigh Acres
Enroll in the Right Lehigh Acres Esthetician Program
Choosing and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is essential to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. 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 start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the academy and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you begin 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 right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are ready to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Lehigh Acres Florida.
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