How to Enroll In the Best Esthetician Program Near Billerica Massachusetts

Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Billerica MA, the process starts to search for and enroll in the ideal program. It's important that the program you choose not only furnishes the proper instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start 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 pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Billerica home. Tuition will also be a critical consideration when assessing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not always the ideal choice. There are many other considerations that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning 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.

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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 (or aestheticians) are skin care specialists who typically work in Billerica Massachusetts 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 Esthetics Schools

Online esthetician programs are convenient for Billerica MA students who are working full-time and have family commitments that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not spending numerous hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it's important that the training program you choose can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's impossible to obtain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So don't forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Aesthetician Programs

Following is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Billerica residence, as well as the price of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled some of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's essential 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 organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Billerica MA businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation?  Every esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent 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. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Billerica MA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. Finally, consult the Massachusetts school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus?  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 commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you pick a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your vision is to start a Billerica MA 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 ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided?  Studying and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty school furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best option for cultivating your skills. So look for alternate schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's essential that he or she receives aid in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develop relationships with Billerica MA businesses that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have wide 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. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students also. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an alternative until you learn what financial assistance may be offered.

Find Out How to Become an Aesthetician in Billerica

Enroll in the Right Billerica Esthetician Course

Locating and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is important to receive the necessary 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 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 compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the academy and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are ready to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Billerica Massachusetts.

 

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