How to Select the Right Esthetician College Near Wakefield Massachusetts

Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Wakefield MA, the process begins to search for and enroll in the ideal program. It's important that the school you choose not only furnishes the necessary instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you may be a little bit unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names 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 Wakefield home. Tuition will additionally be an important consideration when evaluating potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it's not always the best option. There are many other considerations that you should weigh 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 talk 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 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 Esthetician Courses

Online esthetician schools are advantageous for Wakefield MA students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online cosmetology school programs available that can be attended through a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced because many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you're not devoting many hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's vital that the program you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it's difficult to gain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So don't forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Trade Schools

Below is a series of questions that you need to look into for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Wakefield home, as well as the expense of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's essential to make sure that the esthetician training program you select 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 comply with their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Wakefield MA businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation?  Any esthetician institute 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 endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews along with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Wakefield MA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. Finally, contact the Massachusetts school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus?  Some esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you enroll in 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 Wakefield MA beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator as well. Selecting a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.

Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided?  Practicing and refining esthetician skills and techniques demands lots of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty school furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. So look for other schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's important that she or he gets assistance in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develop relationships with Wakefield MA employers that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available?  Many esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and learn 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 available to students as well. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an alternative before you find out what financial assistance may be available.

Find Out How to Become an Aesthetician in Wakefield

Enroll in the Right Wakefield Esthetician Course

Finding and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is important to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to compile all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you pick are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are ready to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Wakefield Massachusetts.

 

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