How to Select the Best Esthetician Training Program Near Waterville Maine
Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Waterville ME, the task starts to search for and enroll in the best program. It's imperative that the school you choose not only furnishes the proper training for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you might be rather confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Waterville residence. Tuition will additionally be an important factor when reviewing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it's not always the ideal option. There are a number of other factors that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the aesthetician schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let's discuss a little bit about what types of programs are offered.
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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 provide a wide range of beauty services to help their Waterville Maine 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 Classes
Online esthetician schools are convenient for Waterville ME students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it hard 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 traditional cosmetology schools are often fast paced given that many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you're not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it's important that the training program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's difficult to acquire the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Esthetician Programs
Following is a list of questions that you need to look into for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Waterville residence, in addition to the cost of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's important to make sure that the esthetician school you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Waterville ME businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any esthetician institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews along with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Waterville ME salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. And finally, consult the Maine 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? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently 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 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 start a Waterville ME beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator as well. Selecting a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Practicing and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty academy offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. So look for alternate schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's crucial that he or she gets aid in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish aid maintain relationships with Waterville ME businesses that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Most esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and learn 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 available to students too. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you find out what financial help may be available.
More Info on How to Become an Aesthetician in Waterville
Enroll in the Right Waterville Esthetician Course
Finding and enrolling in the right esthetician program is essential to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to compile all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the school and program you select are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are prepared to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Waterville Maine.
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