How to Choose the Best Esthetician College Near Atlantic City New Jersey
Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Atlantic City NJ, the process begins to search for and enroll in the ideal program. It's imperative that the program you pick not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be a little bit puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Atlantic City residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical factor when reviewing possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it's not always the best choice. There are many other factors that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the aesthetician schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let's talk a little bit about what kinds of training 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 provide a wide range of beauty services to help their Atlantic City New Jersey clients look and feel better. This includes improving the quality of the skin (including the treatment of skin disorders), hair removal, permanent makeup application, and facial massage. Some types of estheticians, like medical estheticians, provide highly specialized procedures that require detailed training in order for it to be done safely and effectively. Medical estheticians can help individuals suffering from serious skin disorders, burns, and other trauma, and to help with pre and post-operative surgery affecting the health of their skin. Estheticians work closely with their clients in a friendly and positive manner, so an enthusiastic attitude and desire to help people is an excellent attribute for an aspiring esthetician to possess. Some of the basic duties an esthetician may perform will include such tasks as:
- Assessing a patient’s needs
- Chemical peels
- Laser treatments
- Waxing
- Facials
- Massage of the head and neck
- Microdermabrasion
Online Esthetics Programs
Online esthetician classes are accommodating for Atlantic City NJ students who are working full-time and have family commitments that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous online beauty school programs available that can be attended through a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional beauty programs are often fast paced given that many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you're not spending many hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it's imperative that the school you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's difficult to gain the skills required to work in any area 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 Esthetician Programs
Below is a series of questions that you need to look into for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Atlantic City residence, in addition to the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's essential to make certain that the esthetician college you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Atlantic City NJ 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 Good Reputation? Every esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements 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 services for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Atlantic City NJ salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. And finally, check with the New Jersey 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 Specialty? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you pick a school that focuses on 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 Atlantic City NJ 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 ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school provides limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. So try to find other schools that furnish this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's imperative that he or she receives support in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance develop relationships with Atlantic City NJ employers that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected 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 department. Consult with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students also. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not discard it as an option before you learn what financial aid may be available.
More Info on How to Become an Aesthetician in Atlantic City
Enroll in the Best Atlantic City Esthetician Training
Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician college is imperative to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Make certain to collect all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the school and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are prepared to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Atlantic City New Jersey.
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