How to Select the Best Esthetician Training Program Near Wakefield Massachusetts
Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Wakefield MA, the task begins to locate and enroll in the right program. It's essential that the school you choose not only provides the proper instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be a little bit confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Wakefield residence. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when assessing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it's not automatically the ideal choice. There are various other qualifications that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what kinds of training programs are available.
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 provide a wide range of beauty services to help their Wakefield 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 Programs
Online esthetician classes are accommodating for Wakefield MA students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are many online cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed through a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty schools are frequently fast paced due to the fact 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 programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you're not spending numerous hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's essential that the training program you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's impossible to obtain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Esthetics Programs
Following is a list of questions that you will want to research for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Wakefield residence, as well as the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue 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 must research and consider 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 decision.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's essential to make certain that the esthetician training program 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 comply with their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Wakefield MA employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews along with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Wakefield MA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And last, consult the Massachusetts school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you select a school that focuses on 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 dream is to start a Wakefield 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 regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty school furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's essential that she or he gets help in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance develop relationships with Wakefield MA businesses that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Almost all esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at 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 offered to students also. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you find out what financial help may be offered.
Learn How to Become an Esthetician in Wakefield
Enroll in the Right Wakefield Esthetician Training
Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician college is imperative to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to contrast schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you pick are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are ready to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Wakefield Massachusetts.
Wakefield Aesthetician Schools | Wakefield Esthetician Schools