How to Find the Best Esthetician School Near Shreveport Louisiana
Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Shreveport LA, the task starts to locate and enroll in the ideal program. It's important that the program you pick not only provides the proper instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. 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 names are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Shreveport residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical consideration when assessing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it's not always the right choice. There are many other considerations that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the aesthetician schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let's talk a little bit about what kinds of courses are available.
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Esthetics Training Requirements
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
As skilled skincare experts, estheticians need to be knowledgeable of everything from skin histology and physiology to bacteriology and sanitation protocols. As beauty professionals, estheticians must be trained to perform the services that promote healthy, radiant skin – including everything from hair removal methods, pore cleansing and extractions to microdermabrasion, makeup artistry, chemical peels, and light therapy. As beauty and wellness experts, people also turn to estheticians for consultations, advice, and tips for home skincare regimens. They may recommend products, educate clients, and recommend esthetic procedures based on their clients’ needs and wants. Their work environments can include Shreveport Louisiana spas, resorts, salons, hospitals, nursing facilities and dermatologist offices.
Online Esthetics Schools
Online esthetician programs are accommodating for Shreveport LA students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed through a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty schools are typically fast paced because many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or commuting to and from classes. On the other hand, it's essential that the school you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it's impossible to obtain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Esthetician Degree Programs
Following is a series of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Shreveport home, as well as the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial 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 options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have collected several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's important to make sure that the esthetician college you pick 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Shreveport LA businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Shreveport LA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. And finally, contact the Louisiana school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you choose 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 respected for that program. If your dream is to launch a Shreveport LA 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 seeking will not provide the training you need.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Studying and mastering esthetician skills and techniques requires lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best option for acquiring your skills. So look for alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's important that he or she gets aid in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer aid develop relationships with Shreveport LA businesses that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Almost all esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out 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 belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students also. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an option before you determine what financial aid may be available.
More Info on How to Become an Aesthetician in Shreveport
Enroll in the Right Shreveport Esthetician Course
Selecting and enrolling in the right esthetician program is important to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to organize all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the institution and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, 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 ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are prepared to start your career as a professional esthetician in Shreveport Louisiana.
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