How to Select the Right Aesthetician Program Near Wellesley Massachusetts
Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Wellesley MA, the task begins to search for and enroll in the ideal program. It's essential that the school you pick not only furnishes the proper instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you may be rather puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both relate 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 Wellesley home. Tuition will likewise be a critical aspect when reviewing possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it's not necessarily the right choice. There are various other qualifications that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let's talk a little bit about what kinds of training 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 Wellesley 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 classes are convenient for Wellesley MA students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed via a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are often fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not spending many hours away from your home or commuting to and from classes. However, it's essential that the training program you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's impossible to acquire the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Esthetics Training Programs
Following is a series of questions that you should research for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Wellesley home, together with the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options 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 put together some of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's important to make certain that the esthetician training program you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national organization, 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 can also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Wellesley 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 an Excellent Reputation? Every esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews together with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Wellesley MA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to propose others that you had not considered. Finally, check with 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 particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you choose a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your ambition 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 desire is to open a Wellesley MA beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Picking a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing skills 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 option for developing your skills. So try to find alternate schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's essential that she or he receives assistance in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with Wellesley MA businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, 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 Assistance Available? Almost all esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students also. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you find out what financial assistance may be offered.
Find Out How to Become an Esthetician in Wellesley
Enroll in the Right Wellesley Esthetician Program
Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician school is imperative to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Make certain to consolidate all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you decide on are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are ready to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Wellesley Massachusetts.
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