How to Enroll In the Right Esthetician Course Near Augusta Georgia

Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Augusta GA, the process starts to find and enroll in the right program. It's important that the school you select not only provides the necessary instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be rather confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Augusta residence. Tuition will likewise be an important factor when evaluating potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it's not necessarily the ideal option. There are several other factors that you should evaluate when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what types of programs are available.

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Esthetics Training Programs

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 Augusta Georgia nursing facilities, luxury resorts, dermatologist offices or hospitals.

Online Esthetics Programs

Online esthetician programs are accommodating for Augusta GA students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed through a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are often fast paced given that many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you're not devoting many hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. However, it's important that the school you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it's difficult to gain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So don't forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Training Courses

Following is a list of questions that you should look into for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Augusta home, together with the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's important to make certain that the esthetician school you select 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 comply with their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Augusta GA businesses 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?  Each esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Augusta GA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And finally, contact the Georgia school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty?  A number of 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 instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you pick a school that focuses on 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 well regarded for that program. If your desire is to open a Augusta GA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Selecting a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided?  Practicing and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty academy furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. So look for other schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's important that he or she gets help in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develop relationships with Augusta GA businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating 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 verify that they have wide 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 reviewing have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students as well. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not omit it as an option until you find out what financial assistance may be provided.

Learn How to Become an Aesthetician in Augusta

Enroll in the Right Augusta Esthetician Program

Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician school is essential to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to consolidate 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 reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, 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 proper choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are prepared to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Augusta Georgia.

 

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