How to Pick the Best Esthetician Training Near Wichita Kansas
Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Wichita KS, the process starts to search for and enroll in the ideal program. It's imperative that the program you pick not only provides the proper training for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be a little bit unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Wichita residence. Tuition will additionally be an important aspect when reviewing potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it's not always the ideal option. There are many other factors that you should weigh when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the aesthetician schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let's talk a bit about what kinds of courses are offered.
It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Esthetician Career Below!
Esthetician 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 Wichita Kansas 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 classes are convenient for Wichita KS students who are employed full-time and have family commitments that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed through a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty schools are often fast paced given that many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you're not spending many hours away from your home or driving to and from classes. However, it's vital that the school you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's difficult to gain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. 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 Schools
Below is a series of questions that you should research for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Wichita residence, in addition to the cost of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's important to make sure 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 agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Wichita KS businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every esthetician institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Wichita KS salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. Finally, check with the Kansas 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? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you choose 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 dream is to open a Wichita KS 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 rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques involves lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty school furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best option for acquiring your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's imperative that he or she receives help in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with Wichita KS employers that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Many esthetician schools provide 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 learn what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students as well. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an alternative before you determine what financial help may be available.
More Info on How to Become an Aesthetician in Wichita
Enroll in the Best Wichita Esthetician Training
Picking and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is important to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to collect all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the academy and program you decide on are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to filter 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 prepared to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Wichita Kansas.