How to Find the Best Esthetician School Near East Lansing Michigan
Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near East Lansing MI, the process begins to search for and enroll in the best program. It's important that the program you pick not only provides the appropriate training for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be a little bit puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your East Lansing residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical consideration when reviewing potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not always the right choice. There are several other considerations that you should weigh when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the aesthetician schools you are considering 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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Esthetics Training Programs
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 East Lansing Michigan 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 Courses
Online esthetician programs are advantageous for East Lansing MI students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs offered that can be attended by means of a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty programs are often fast paced given that many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's vital that the program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it's impossible to acquire the skills necessary 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 Aesthetician Training Programs
Following is a list of questions that you should research for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your East Lansing residence, as well as the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue 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 must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have collected some of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's essential to make certain that the esthetician training program 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of East Lansing MI employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every esthetician institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with East Lansing MI salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. And finally, contact the Michigan school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Many 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 example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you decide on a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your dream is to start a East Lansing MI 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 rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's important that she or he receives aid in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish aid maintain relationships with East Lansing MI employers that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have wide 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. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students as well. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not omit it as an alternative before you find out what financial assistance may be available.
Find Out How to Become an Aesthetician in East Lansing
Enroll in the Best East Lansing Esthetician Training
Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is essential to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to consolidate all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you select are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to start your new career as a professional esthetician in East Lansing Michigan.
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