How to Choose the Right Esthetician Course Near Lakewood New Jersey

Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Lakewood NJ, the process starts to find and enroll in the right program. It's imperative that the school you select not only furnishes the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be rather puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Lakewood residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical consideration when evaluating possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it's not automatically the best option. There are several other qualifications that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the aesthetician schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what types of training programs are available.

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Esthetics Degrees and Certificates

There are basically two pathways available to receive esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate's degree. Certificate programs normally call for 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate's degree usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you wish to focus on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also probably include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Lakewood NJ business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master's degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you go with, it's essential to make sure that it's approved by the New Jersey Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming section.

Online Esthetics Programs

Online esthetician programs are accommodating for Lakewood NJ students who are working full-time and have family commitments that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed via a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional beauty programs are frequently fast paced because many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it's vital that the training program 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 difficult to obtain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Aesthetician Degree Programs

Below is a list of questions that you will want to research for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Lakewood home, together with the expense of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled some of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's necessary to make certain that the esthetician college you choose 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 ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently 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, numerous Lakewood NJ businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation?  Any esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Lakewood NJ salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And finally, check with the New Jersey school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty?  Many esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically 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 intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your dream is to open a Lakewood NJ beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Choosing a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided?  Learning and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty school offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. So search for other schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's crucial that he or she gets support in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish aid maintain relationships with Lakewood NJ employers that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered?  Almost all esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Talk to 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 satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not discard it as an option before you learn what financial help may be provided.

Find Out How to Become an Esthetician in Lakewood

Enroll in the Right Lakewood Esthetician Training

Selecting and enrolling in the right esthetician school is important to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to collect all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the institution and program you select are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to start your career as a professional esthetician in Lakewood New Jersey.

 

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