How to Pick the Right Esthetician Program Near Portage Michigan
Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Portage MI, the task begins to find and enroll in the best program. It's imperative that the program you pick not only provides the proper education for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you may be rather unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Portage home. Tuition will additionally be a critical factor when assessing possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not necessarily the right option. There are several other considerations that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what types of courses are available.
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Esthetics 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 Portage 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 Programs
Online esthetician programs are advantageous for Portage MI students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed through a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are typically fast paced because many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours outside of 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 nearby salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's impossible to acquire the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So don't forget if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Esthetics Trade Schools
Below is a series of questions that you need to look into for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Portage residence, in addition to the expense of tuition, will most likely be your initial 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 even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's important to make sure that the esthetician college you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Portage MI employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent 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, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews together with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Portage MI salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. Finally, contact the Michigan school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you choose 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 desire is to launch a Portage MI beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Picking a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program provides little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for developing your skills. Therefore look for other schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's crucial that he or she receives support in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide assistance maintain relationships with Portage MI businesses that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded 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 investigating have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students as well. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an alternative before you determine what financial aid may be provided.
More Info on How to Become an Aesthetician in Portage
Enroll in the Best Portage Esthetician Training
Selecting and enrolling in the right esthetician program is essential to get 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 information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the school and program you pick are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to start your career as a professional esthetician in Portage Michigan.