How to Find the Best Aesthetician Program Near Brookline Massachusetts
Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Brookline MA, the task begins to find and enroll in the ideal program. It's imperative that the program you select not only provides the necessary education for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be rather puzzled about the contrast 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 anticipate commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Brookline home. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when assessing prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not necessarily the ideal choice. There are various other qualifications that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the aesthetician schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a little bit about what types of programs are offered.
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Esthetics Training Requirements
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 Brookline 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 Esthetician Programs
Online esthetician programs are advantageous for Brookline MA students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed via a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional beauty programs are typically fast paced given that many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours away from your home or commuting to and from classes. On the other hand, it's essential that the training program you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it's difficult to gain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So don't forget if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Esthetics Schools
Following is a series of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Brookline residence, in addition to the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt 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 should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's essential to make certain that the esthetician training program you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Brookline MA employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. 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, showing that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Brookline MA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. And finally, check with the Massachusetts school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you decide on 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 respected for that program. If your aspiration is to start a Brookline MA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Picking a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques involves lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty school offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's imperative that he or she gets aid in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develop relationships with Brookline MA businesses that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have extensive 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. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students also. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an option until you find out what financial aid may be offered.
Learn How to Become an Aesthetician in Brookline
Enroll in the Best Brookline Esthetician Training
Choosing and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is imperative to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Make certain to collect all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you start with that base, 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 choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are ready to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Brookline Massachusetts.
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