How to Pick the Right Esthetician College Near Cambridge Massachusetts

Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Cambridge MA, the task starts to locate and enroll in the best 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 initial search, you may be rather puzzled about the difference 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 locate a school that is within driving distance of your Cambridge residence. Tuition will likewise be an important aspect when evaluating potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it's not necessarily the best choice. There are several other qualifications that you should weigh when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are considering 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 provide a wide range of beauty services to help their Cambridge Massachusetts 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 Esthetics Training

Online esthetician programs are advantageous for Cambridge MA students who are employed full-time and have family obligations 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 cosmetology schools are typically fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it's important that the program you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it's impossible to gain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Aesthetician Training Programs

Following is a series of questions that you should investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Cambridge residence, as well as the expense of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn 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 initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have put together some of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's necessary to make certain that the esthetician training program you pick 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 measure up to their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for getting 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 concluding benefit, numerous Cambridge MA businesses will not hire 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 school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Cambridge MA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. And finally, contact the Massachusetts school licensing authority to find out 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 comprehensive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you select a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your goal is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to open a Cambridge MA beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Choosing a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided?  Studying and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on people. 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 enable students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy provides limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for developing your skills. Therefore search for other schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's crucial that he or she gets assistance in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide aid maintain relationships with Cambridge MA businesses that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Available?  The majority of esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and find out 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 too. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an alternative until you determine what financial aid may be offered.

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Enroll in the Best Cambridge Esthetician Course

Locating and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is essential to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Don't forget to organize all of the responses 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 good start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the academy and program you select are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, 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 proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are ready to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Cambridge Massachusetts.

 

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