How to Select the Best Esthetician College Near Pittsfield Michigan
Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Pittsfield MI, the process starts to find and enroll in the ideal program. It's essential that the school you select not only provides the necessary education for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be somewhat confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are essentially 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 Pittsfield home. Tuition will likewise be an important aspect when reviewing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it's not automatically the right choice. There are many other considerations that you should weigh when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let's talk a little bit about what kinds of courses are offered.
It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Esthetician Career Below!
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 Pittsfield Michigan 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 Esthetics Classes
Online esthetician programs are convenient for Pittsfield MI students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs available that can be attended via a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are typically fast paced given that many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you're not devoting numerous hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's essential that the program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's difficult to obtain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Aesthetician Degree Programs
Following is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Pittsfield home, in addition to the price of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's essential to make sure that the esthetician training program you pick 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Pittsfield MI employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Pittsfield MI salon owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. And finally, contact the Michigan school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering 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 imperative that you select 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 aspiration is to open a Pittsfield MI beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator as well. Choosing a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty lessons 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 furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. So look for alternate schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's essential that she or he receives assistance in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer aid develop relationships with Pittsfield MI businesses that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Most esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Talk to 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 accessible to students too. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an alternative before you learn what financial assistance may be provided.
More Info on How to Become an Esthetician in Pittsfield
Enroll in the Right Pittsfield Esthetician Training
Selecting and enrolling in the right esthetician college is important to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this article, 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 qualified to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Pittsfield Michigan.
Pittsfield Esthetician Courses | Pittsfield Esthetician Training