How to Find the Best Aesthetician School Near Chesterfield Missouri
Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Chesterfield MO, the task begins to find and enroll in the best program. It's essential that the program you select not only provides the appropriate training for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be a little bit puzzled 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 kind of school. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Chesterfield residence. Tuition will likewise be an important factor when reviewing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it's not automatically the best choice. There are various other considerations that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the aesthetician schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a little bit about what kinds of training programs are available.
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Esthetics Training Requirements
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 Chesterfield Missouri nursing facilities, luxury resorts, dermatologist offices or hospitals.
Online Esthetics Courses
Online esthetician schools are convenient for Chesterfield MO students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional beauty schools are frequently fast paced given that many programs are as short as six or eight 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 away from your home or driving to and from classes. On the other hand, it's important that the program you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure 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 facet of the cosmetology field. So don't forget if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Esthetics Trade Schools
Below is a list of questions that you should look into for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Chesterfield home, as well as the price of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly 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 need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled some of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's essential to make sure that the esthetician school 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 essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently 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, numerous Chesterfield MO businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Chesterfield MO salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. And finally, consult the Missouri 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 Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often 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 well regarded for that program. If your dream is to start a Chesterfield MO beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator as well. Selecting a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology lessons 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 school offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. Therefore look for other schools that furnish this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's important that she or he gets assistance in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance maintain relationships with Chesterfield MO businesses that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Many esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and learn 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 too. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an alternative until you find out what financial help may be provided.
Learn How to Become an Esthetician in Chesterfield
Enroll in the Right Chesterfield Esthetician Course
Locating and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is essential to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Make certain to organize 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 compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the school and program you choose are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to reduce 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 ready to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Chesterfield Missouri.
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