How to Choose the Right Esthetician School Near Prior Lake Minnesota
Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Prior Lake MN, the process starts to locate and enroll in the best program. It's imperative that the school 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 might be somewhat unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Prior Lake residence. Tuition will also be an important factor when reviewing possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it's not always the best choice. There are many other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the aesthetician schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let's talk a bit about what kinds of training 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 Prior Lake Minnesota 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 accommodating for Prior Lake MN students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online beauty school programs offered that can be attended through a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional beauty schools are typically fast paced given that many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you're not spending many hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's important that the training program you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it's difficult to acquire the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So don't forget if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Esthetician Training Courses
Below is a series of questions that you should research for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Prior Lake home, as well as the expense of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt 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 take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have collected several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's important to make certain 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Prior Lake MN businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Prior Lake MN salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. And last, check with the Minnesota school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you decide on a school that focuses on 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 vision is to launch a Prior Lake MN 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 require.
Is Any 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 included in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's important that she or he receives assistance in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer help develop relationships with Prior Lake MN businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, 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 regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? The majority of esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students too. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an alternative until you determine what financial aid may be offered.
More Info on How to Become an Aesthetician in Prior Lake
Enroll in the Right Prior Lake Esthetician Course
Finding and enrolling in the right esthetician college is imperative to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Make certain to collect all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the academy and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and address 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 test, you will be self-assured that you are ready to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Prior Lake Minnesota.
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