How to Choose the Best Aesthetician College Near Helena Montana
Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Helena MT, the task starts to find and enroll in the right program. It's imperative that the program you pick not only provides the proper education for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you may be a little bit confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Helena residence. Tuition will likewise be an important consideration when assessing potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not always the right option. There are a number of other considerations that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for instance 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 training programs are available.
It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Esthetician Career Below!
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 Helena Montana 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 Esthetician Classes
Online esthetician schools are convenient for Helena MT students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs offered that can be attended by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty schools are typically fast paced since many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not devoting many hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's important that the program you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it's difficult to obtain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So don't forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Esthetician Programs
Below is a list of questions that you need to look into for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Helena residence, as well as the cost of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's essential to make certain that the esthetician training program 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 ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Helena MT employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Helena MT salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. And finally, contact the Montana school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential 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 vision is to open a Helena MT beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Choosing a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty school furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. So search for other schools that furnish this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's crucial that she or he gets support in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide aid develop relationships with Helena MT employers that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have wide 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 get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students also. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an option before you determine what financial help may be available.
More Info on How to Become an Aesthetician in Helena
Enroll in the Best Helena Esthetician Course
Picking and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is imperative to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to compile all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to contrast schools. A good start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the school and program you select are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to start your career as a professional esthetician in Helena Montana.