How to Select the Best Aesthetician College Near Lakewood New Jersey
Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Lakewood NJ, the process starts to search for and enroll in the best program. It's essential that the school you pick not only provides the proper instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may be a little bit puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Lakewood home. Tuition will likewise be a critical aspect when reviewing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not necessarily the right choice. There are many other qualifications that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let's discuss a little bit about what types of training programs are available.
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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 Lakewood 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 Esthetician Programs
Online esthetician classes are convenient for Lakewood NJ students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based beauty school programs offered that can be attended via a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are typically fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not spending numerous hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's important that the program you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it's difficult to acquire the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Esthetics Schools
Below is a list of questions that you will want to look into for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Lakewood home, in addition to the cost of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn 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 should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's necessary to make sure that the esthetician school you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable 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 Lakewood NJ employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. 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 sought after. Check rating services 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 reviewing. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. Finally, contact the New Jersey school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing 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 expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you select a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your aspiration is to open a Lakewood NJ beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator as well. Picking a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Studying and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty program furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for developing your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's crucial that he or she gets help in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide assistance maintain relationships with Lakewood NJ employers that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? The majority of esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students as well. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not omit it as an alternative until you find out what financial assistance may be offered.
More Info on How to Become an Aesthetician in Lakewood
Enroll in the Best Lakewood Esthetician Training
Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is imperative to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to compile all of the information 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 beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the academy and program you choose are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to narrow down 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 ready to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Lakewood New Jersey.
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