How to Pick the Right Esthetician School Near Methuen Massachusetts
Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Methuen MA, the process begins to search for and enroll in the right program. It's important that the program you select not only furnishes the necessary instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be a little bit unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Methuen residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical factor when reviewing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not automatically the best choice. There are various other factors that you should weigh when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the aesthetician schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let's talk a little bit about what kinds of courses are available.
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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 Methuen 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 Classes
Online esthetician programs are convenient for Methuen 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 attended through a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional beauty schools are frequently fast paced given that many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. However, it's essential that the school you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's difficult to obtain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. 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 Esthetician Programs
Following is a series of questions that you should research for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Methuen residence, together with the cost of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's important to make certain that the esthetician college you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged 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 assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Methuen MA employers will not hire 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 college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Methuen MA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. Finally, contact the Massachusetts school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden 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 ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your desire is to launch a Methuen MA beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Selecting a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for developing your skills. So look for alternate schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's essential that he or she receives help in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance develop relationships with Methuen MA businesses that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Talk to 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 too. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an option before you find out what financial help may be available.
More Info on How to Become an Esthetician in Methuen
Enroll in the Right Methuen Esthetician Program
Picking and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is essential to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to organize all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you pick are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, 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 test, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Methuen Massachusetts.
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