How to Find the Right Aesthetician School Near Lemay Missouri
Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Lemay MO, the task starts to search for and enroll in the right program. It's important that the program you pick not only furnishes the appropriate education for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be rather unclear 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 intend on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Lemay residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical aspect when reviewing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it's not always the right option. There are a number of other qualifications that you should weigh when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the aesthetician schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what types of programs are offered.
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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 Lemay Missouri 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 schools are convenient for Lemay MO 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 available that can be accessed via a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional beauty programs are often fast paced because many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not spending many hours away from your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it's imperative that the program you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it's impossible to obtain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So don't forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Esthetics Training Classes
Following is a list of questions that you need to research for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Lemay residence, together with the price of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's important to make certain that the esthetician college you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Lemay MO businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Lemay MO salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. Finally, consult the Missouri school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you decide on a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your goal is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your dream is to launch a Lemay MO beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Selecting a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Practicing and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's imperative that he or she receives assistance in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develop relationships with Lemay MO businesses that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students too. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not drop it as an option before you learn what financial aid may be available.
Find Out How to Become an Esthetician in Lemay
Enroll in the Best Lemay Esthetician Training
Selecting and enrolling in the right esthetician college is imperative to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to collect all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you pick are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Lemay Missouri.