How to Find the Right Esthetician Program Near Lowell Massachusetts
Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Lowell MA, the task begins to find and enroll in the ideal program. It's important that the program you select not only furnishes the necessary education for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you may be a little bit puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Lowell home. Tuition will additionally be an important consideration when assessing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it's not always the best option. There are many other considerations that you should weigh when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the aesthetician schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what types of training programs are available.
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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 Lowell 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 Esthetician Training
Online esthetician schools are accommodating for Lowell MA students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs available that can be accessed via a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty programs are frequently fast paced since many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not spending numerous hours outside of your home or commuting to and from classes. On the other hand, it's important that the school you select 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 gain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So don't forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Aesthetician Trade Schools
Following is a list of questions that you should research for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Lowell home, together with the price of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have put together several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the Esthetician School 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 assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Lowell MA employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Lowell MA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And finally, check with the Massachusetts school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in total 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 particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you enroll in 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 well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to start a Lowell MA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Choosing a highly ranked 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 plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program provides little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for developing your skills. So 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 she or he gets help in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develop relationships with Lowell MA businesses that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, 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 Assistance Available? Almost all esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and identify 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 also. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an option until you determine what financial aid may be offered.
More Info on How to Become an Esthetician in Lowell
Enroll in the Best Lowell Esthetician Training
Choosing and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is essential to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Make certain to collect all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you select are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are qualified to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Lowell Massachusetts.