How to Select the Right Aesthetician School Near Watertown Massachusetts
Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Watertown MA, the process starts to find and enroll in the ideal program. It's essential that the school you choose not only provides the proper training for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you might be rather unclear about the difference 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 plan on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Watertown residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical factor when reviewing 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 several other qualifications that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the aesthetician schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a little bit about what kinds of programs are available.
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Esthetics Training Requirements
An esthetics program may be found in a school of cosmetology, a dedicated esthetics school or, in some cases, a junior college. An esthetics program’s length is generally determined by the state in which it is located, as each state board of cosmetology sets minimum requirements for the number of hours of training an esthetics program must provide to meet the state’s licensing requirements. However, it is also quite common for esthetics programs to offer more extensive study beyond what is required for licensing purposes. In general, an esthetics program consists of about 600 hours, a common requirement in many states. However, a number of states require less than 600 hours and perhaps just as many require more than 600. Most state boards of cosmetology maintain lists of approved programs of esthetics within the state, while others recognize all programs that meet the state’s minimum clock-hour requirement. A comprehensive esthetics program includes instruction not only in esthetic treatment procedures and services, but in areas such as the structure of the skin and its function, disorders of the skin, and professional business skills.
Esthetician Job Description
An esthetician is a professional skin specialist who identifies cosmetic issues (such as wrinkles, pigmentation, or blemishes) and applies treatments to improve their condition. Most estheticians perform skin treatments like facials, superficial chemical peels, body treatments, skin conditioning, and blemish extraction, but they may also do waxing, lash extensions, and makeovers. Estheticians, unlike licensed cosmetologists, are also able to provide advanced treatments like microdermabrasion, chemical peels, light therapy, and hair removal. They may also educate clients on products, skincare regimens, and the benefits of esthetic procedures. Medical estheticians in clinical settings may help people identify and recover from health issues affecting the skin, such as working with cancer patients or burn victims after surgical procedures. Typically an esthetician works with a client in a spa or salon setting. Some estheticians work in a medical setting to complement medical services, such as in a dermatologist’s office, but they are not medical professionals. Estheticians may also work in locations as varied as Watertown Massachusetts nursing facilities, luxury resorts, dermatologist offices or hospitals.
Online Esthetics Programs
Online esthetician classes are convenient for Watertown MA students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are many web-based beauty school programs offered that can be accessed through a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty schools are typically fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you're not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. However, it's important that the program you choose can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's difficult to gain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So don't forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Esthetics Trade Schools
Following is a series of questions that you need to research for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Watertown home, in addition to the cost of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's necessary to make certain that the esthetician college you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized 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 ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Watertown MA employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Watertown 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 propose others that you had not thought of. And last, check with the Massachusetts school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are broad 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 often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you pick a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your ambition 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 Watertown MA beauty salon, then you want 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 require.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Studying and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty school offers little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. Therefore search for other schools that furnish this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's crucial that he or she gets assistance in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develop relationships with Watertown MA businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, ask 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 Available? Almost all esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students also. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an option until you determine what financial help may be provided.
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Enroll in the Best Watertown Esthetician Training
Selecting and enrolling in the right esthetician school is important to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to compile all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you choose are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Watertown Massachusetts.
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