How to Pick the Right Aesthetician College Near Athens Georgia
Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Athens GA, the process begins to locate and enroll in the ideal program. It's important that the program you choose not only provides the appropriate education for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you may be rather unclear about the contrast 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 plan on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Athens residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical consideration when assessing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it's not automatically the right choice. There are several other considerations that you should weigh when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the aesthetician schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let's discuss a little bit about what types of 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 (or aestheticians) are skin care specialists who typically work in Athens Georgia spas and salons as well as resorts and medical facilities to provide a variety of treatments for their clients. Some of the typical duties of an esthetician include performing deep skin cleansing and treatments, hair removal, and massages. Estheticians also recommend skincare treatments, products, and regimens to their clients. Many estheticians are self-employed, which allows them to set their schedules and work where they wish. However, these professionals still often need to work evenings and weekends. These skin care specialists also spend much of their time standing and may be exposed to harmful chemicals. Certified estheticians have excellent customer service and communication skills. They're adept at time management, observation and monitoring and are competent in understanding and using the tools necessary for facial procedures and extractions. Certified estheticians are familiar with medical, spreadsheets, and word processing software. They present a professional appearance and have the physical fitness to stand for prolonged periods of time. A career in esthetics generally requires working evening and weekend hours.
Online Esthetician Training
Online esthetician schools are convenient for Athens GA students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed via a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty schools are frequently fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not spending many hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's important that the school you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's impossible to acquire the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Esthetician Trade Schools
Below is a series of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Athens residence, in addition to the expense of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have collected some of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's important to make certain that the esthetician training program you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically 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 final benefit, a number of Athens GA businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every esthetician institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. 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 services for reviews together with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Athens GA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. Finally, consult the Georgia school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive 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 expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you pick a school that specializes in 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 respected for that program. If your desire is to start a Athens GA 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 ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty academy provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best option for acquiring your skills. Therefore look for other schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's imperative that she or he receives support in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develop relationships with Athens GA businesses that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Many esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. 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 available to students also. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not omit it as an option until you find out what financial aid may be offered.
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Enroll in the Right Athens Esthetician Program
Locating and enrolling in the right esthetician program is important to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Don't forget to organize all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the school and program you select are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions supplied 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 examination, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Athens Georgia.
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