How to Pick the Right Esthetician Training Near Shrewsbury Massachusetts
Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Shrewsbury MA, the task starts to search for and enroll in the ideal program. It's imperative that the program you choose not only furnishes the necessary training 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 confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Shrewsbury home. Tuition will also be a critical factor when reviewing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it's not always the best option. There are several other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the aesthetician schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let's talk a bit about what types of training programs 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 Shrewsbury 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 Courses
Online esthetician programs are advantageous for Shrewsbury MA students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs available that can be accessed via a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty programs are typically fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you're not spending numerous hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. However, it's essential that the program you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it's difficult to obtain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Esthetics Degree Programs
Below is a list of questions that you need to research for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Shrewsbury home, in addition to the expense of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled some of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's necessary to make sure 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Shrewsbury 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 Great Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews together with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Shrewsbury MA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, 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, consult the Massachusetts school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you pick 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 open a Shrewsbury 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 weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Studying and refining esthetician skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided 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 little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for developing your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's essential that she or he gets assistance in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid develop relationships with Shrewsbury MA employers that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? 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 office. Consult with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students as well. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an alternative before you determine what financial assistance may be available.
Learn How to Become an Aesthetician in Shrewsbury
Enroll in the Best Shrewsbury Esthetician Course
Choosing and enrolling in the right esthetician college is important to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the college and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this post, 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 confident that you are ready to start your career as a professional esthetician in Shrewsbury Massachusetts.
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