How to Pick the Best Esthetician Program Near Westwood Massachusetts
Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Westwood MA, the task begins to search for and enroll in the right program. It's imperative that the school you pick not only furnishes the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be a little bit confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Westwood home. Tuition will also be an important factor when reviewing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not automatically the ideal choice. There are many other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let's talk a little bit about what kinds of programs are available.
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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 (or aestheticians) are skin care specialists who typically work in Westwood Massachusetts spas and salons as well as resorts and medical facilities to provide a variety of treatments for their clients. Some of the typical duties of an esthetician include performing deep skin cleansing and treatments, hair removal, and massages. Estheticians also recommend skincare treatments, products, and regimens to their clients. Many estheticians are self-employed, which allows them to set their schedules and work where they wish. However, these professionals still often need to work evenings and weekends. These skin care specialists also spend much of their time standing and may be exposed to harmful chemicals. Certified estheticians have excellent customer service and communication skills. They're adept at time management, observation and monitoring and are competent in understanding and using the tools necessary for facial procedures and extractions. Certified estheticians are familiar with medical, spreadsheets, and word processing software. They present a professional appearance and have the physical fitness to stand for prolonged periods of time. A career in esthetics generally requires working evening and weekend hours.
Online Esthetician Programs
Online esthetician classes are accommodating for Westwood MA students who are employed full-time and have family commitments that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are typically fast paced because many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not devoting many hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's important that the training program you choose can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it's impossible to gain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So don't forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Esthetician Training Programs
Below is a list of questions that you should investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Westwood home, together with the expense of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's important to make certain that the esthetician school you choose 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available 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 Westwood MA employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Westwood MA salon owners or managers, or someone 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 finally, consult the Massachusetts school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you select a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to launch a Westwood MA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator as well. Selecting a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty academy provides limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for developing your skills. So try to find alternate schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's important that he or she receives assistance in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide assistance develop relationships with Westwood MA employers that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students as well. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an option before you find out what financial help may be available.
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Enroll in the Right Westwood Esthetician Program
Picking and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is essential to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make 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 responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are ready to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Westwood Massachusetts.
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