How to Find the Right Esthetician College Near Ottumwa Iowa

Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Ottumwa IA, the process begins to find and enroll in the ideal program. It's important that the program you choose not only provides the proper training for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be somewhat puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Ottumwa home. Tuition will likewise be an important factor when reviewing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it's not necessarily the ideal option. There are many other considerations that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let's talk a bit about what kinds of programs are available.

It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Esthetician Career Below!

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 (or aestheticians) are skin care specialists who typically work in Ottumwa Iowa 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 Courses

Online esthetician programs are convenient for Ottumwa IA students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs offered that can be attended by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are often fast paced because many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not spending numerous hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it's imperative that the training program you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it's difficult to obtain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Aesthetician Training Classes

Following is a list of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Ottumwa residence, as well as the cost of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial 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 every school before making a final determination.

Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's necessary to make certain that the esthetician school 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 meet their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Ottumwa IA businesses 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?  Any esthetician college that you are seriously considering 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 employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Ottumwa IA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. Finally, consult the Iowa school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty?  Some esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular 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 choose a school that specializes in 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 dream is to launch a Ottumwa IA beauty salon, then you need 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 weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided?  Practicing and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty academy offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on using mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for developing your skills. So search for other schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's essential that he or she gets aid in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help develop relationships with Ottumwa IA employers that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses 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 Aid Offered?  The majority of esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may qualify 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 except for cost, do not omit it as an option until you learn what financial help may be available.

Find Out How to Become an Aesthetician in Ottumwa

Enroll in the Right Ottumwa Esthetician Program

Locating and enrolling in the right esthetician program is important to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the institution and program you choose are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are ready to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Ottumwa Iowa.

 

Ottumwa Esthetician Programs | Ottumwa How To Become An Esthetician