How to Choose the Right Aesthetician Course Near Northampton Massachusetts

Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Northampton MA, the process starts to search for and enroll in the best program. It's important that the school you pick not only provides the necessary training for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you might be a little bit unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Northampton residence. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when evaluating possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not necessarily the best option. There are various other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the aesthetician schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what types of programs are offered.

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Esthetician 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 Northampton 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 Programs

Online esthetician programs are accommodating for Northampton MA students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of online beauty school programs offered that can be accessed through a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are typically fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you're not devoting many hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it's important that the school you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's impossible to obtain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So don't forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Programs

Following is a list of questions that you will want to look into for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Northampton residence, in addition to the expense of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's important to make certain that the esthetician school 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Northampton MA employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation?  Every esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews together with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Northampton MA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. Finally, check with 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 comprehensive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you select a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your goal is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your vision is to launch a Northampton MA beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator as well. Choosing a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided?  Studying and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty school offers limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. So try to find other schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's essential that he or she receives support in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide assistance maintain relationships with Northampton MA businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered?  Most esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and identify 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 offered to students as well. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not omit it as an alternative until you find out what financial help may be offered.

Find Out How to Become an Esthetician in Northampton

Enroll in the Right Northampton Esthetician Program

Picking and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is essential to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Don't forget to consolidate all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the school and program you pick are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Northampton Massachusetts.

 

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