How to Choose the Best Esthetician School Near Ames Iowa
Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Ames IA, the process starts to find and enroll in the right program. It's essential that the program you choose not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you might be rather puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Ames home. Tuition will additionally be a critical factor when reviewing potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it's not automatically the best option. There are many other qualifications that you should weigh when analyzing 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 within this article. Before we do, let's talk a little bit about what types of programs are offered.
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Esthetics Training Programs
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 Ames Iowa 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 Esthetician Training
Online esthetician schools are accommodating for Ames IA students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended via a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty schools are often fast paced given 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 dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not spending many hours away from your home or travelling to and from classes. However, it's essential that the program you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's difficult to acquire the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Esthetician Degree Programs
Below is a series of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Ames residence, together with the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn 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 must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's important to make certain that the esthetician school you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged 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 superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable 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 Ames IA employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews together with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Ames IA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. And finally, contact the Iowa 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 Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you decide on a school that specializes in 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 aspiration is to open a Ames IA beauty salon, then you need 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 poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and mastering esthetician skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty courses 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 furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on using mannequins, it may not be the best option for developing your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's imperative that he or she gets assistance in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develop relationships with Ames IA businesses that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students as well. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not discard it as an alternative until you determine what financial assistance may be available.
Find Out How to Become an Esthetician in Ames
Enroll in the Right Ames Esthetician Course
Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician program is imperative to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel confident about your decision. Don't forget to consolidate all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you choose are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. 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 right choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are qualified to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Ames Iowa.