How to Select the Right Esthetician School Near Starkville Mississippi
Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Starkville MS, the process begins to find and enroll in the ideal program. It's important that the school you pick not only provides the necessary education for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you might be somewhat unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Starkville residence. Tuition will also be a critical factor when reviewing possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it's not automatically the ideal option. There are several other factors that you should weigh when comparing schools, such as 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 talk a bit about what kinds of programs are available.
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Esthetics Training Programs
An esthetics program may be found in a school of cosmetology, a dedicated esthetics school or, in some cases, a junior college. An esthetics program’s length is generally determined by the state in which it is located, as each state board of cosmetology sets minimum requirements for the number of hours of training an esthetics program must provide to meet the state’s licensing requirements. However, it is also quite common for esthetics programs to offer more extensive study beyond what is required for licensing purposes. In general, an esthetics program consists of about 600 hours, a common requirement in many states. However, a number of states require less than 600 hours and perhaps just as many require more than 600. Most state boards of cosmetology maintain lists of approved programs of esthetics within the state, while others recognize all programs that meet the state’s minimum clock-hour requirement. A comprehensive esthetics program includes instruction not only in esthetic treatment procedures and services, but in areas such as the structure of the skin and its function, disorders of the skin, and professional business skills.
Esthetician Job Description
An esthetician is a professional skin specialist who identifies cosmetic issues (such as wrinkles, pigmentation, or blemishes) and applies treatments to improve their condition. Most estheticians perform skin treatments like facials, superficial chemical peels, body treatments, skin conditioning, and blemish extraction, but they may also do waxing, lash extensions, and makeovers. Estheticians, unlike licensed cosmetologists, are also able to provide advanced treatments like microdermabrasion, chemical peels, light therapy, and hair removal. They may also educate clients on products, skincare regimens, and the benefits of esthetic procedures. Medical estheticians in clinical settings may help people identify and recover from health issues affecting the skin, such as working with cancer patients or burn victims after surgical procedures. Typically an esthetician works with a client in a spa or salon setting. Some estheticians work in a medical setting to complement medical services, such as in a dermatologist’s office, but they are not medical professionals. Estheticians may also work in locations as varied as Starkville Mississippi nursing facilities, luxury resorts, dermatologist offices or hospitals.
Online Esthetics Courses
Online esthetician programs are convenient for Starkville MS students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional beauty schools are often fast paced since many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not spending many hours away from your home or commuting to and from classes. On the other hand, it's vital that the school you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's impossible to obtain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Aesthetician Schools
Following is a series of questions that you should research for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Starkville home, as well as the cost of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly 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 consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have put together some of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's important 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 measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Starkville MS employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every esthetician institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Starkville MS salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. And last, consult the Mississippi school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you select 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 vision is to launch a Starkville MS beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator as well. Picking a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Practicing and refining esthetician techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty school furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's imperative that he or she gets help in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance develop relationships with Starkville MS employers that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have extensive 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 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 also. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an alternative before you find out what financial assistance may be offered.
Find Out How to Become an Aesthetician in Starkville
Enroll in the Right Starkville Esthetician Course
Finding and enrolling in the right esthetician college is imperative to get 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. Don't forget to compile all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the school and program you decide on are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Starkville Mississippi.
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