How to Enroll In the Right Aesthetician College Near Lexington Massachusetts
Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Lexington MA, the process begins to locate and enroll in the right program. It's imperative that the school you choose not only furnishes the appropriate training for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you may be rather unclear about the contrast 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 choose a school that is within driving distance of your Lexington residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical consideration when evaluating possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it's not necessarily the ideal choice. There are several other qualifications that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let's talk a bit about what kinds of training programs are offered.
It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Esthetician Career Below!
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 Lexington 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 Classes
Online esthetician programs are accommodating for Lexington MA students who are working full time and have family commitments that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs offered that can be attended by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty programs are often fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you're not spending many hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it's important that the training program you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it's difficult to acquire 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.
What to Ask Aesthetician Training Courses
Below is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Lexington residence, together with the cost of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices 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 each school before making a final determination.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's essential to make certain that the esthetician school you enroll in 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Lexington MA employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Lexington MA 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 propose others that you had not looked into. And last, contact the Massachusetts 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 areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you enroll in a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your objective 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 desire is to open a Lexington MA beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator as well. Selecting a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Studying and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty program provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for developing your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's essential that she or he receives support in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develop relationships with Lexington MA businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, find out 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 Assistance Available? The majority of esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students also. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an option until you find out what financial help may be available.
More Info on How to Become an Aesthetician in Lexington
Enroll in the Best Lexington Esthetician Training
Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is important to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Make certain to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the academy and program you decide on are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this article, 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 self-assured that you are qualified to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Lexington Massachusetts.
Lexington Esthetician Schools Online | Lexington Esthetician Programs Near Me