How to Select the Best Aesthetician College Near Washington New Jersey
Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Washington NJ, the process begins to search for and enroll in the best program. It's essential that the program you pick not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may be a little bit unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Washington home. Tuition will additionally be a critical aspect when evaluating prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it's not always the right choice. There are various other factors that you should weigh when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let's discuss a little bit about what types of programs are available.
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Esthetician Training Programs
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 Washington 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 Courses
Online esthetician programs are convenient for Washington NJ students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional beauty programs are typically fast paced because many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's imperative that the program you select can provide internship training in local 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 acquire the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Esthetician Training Programs
Below is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Washington home, as well as the cost of tuition, will probably be your initial 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 preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's essential to make certain that the esthetician college you select 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 measure up to their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Washington NJ businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews along with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Washington NJ salon owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to propose others that you had not considered. 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 complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you enroll in a school that focuses on 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 well regarded for that program. If your dream is to launch a Washington NJ beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator as well. Picking a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and mastering esthetician skills and techniques involves lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty academy provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. So look for alternate schools that furnish this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's crucial that he or she gets help in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer aid develop relationships with Washington NJ employers that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Many esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students also. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an alternative until you find out what financial help may be provided.
Find Out How to Become an Aesthetician in Washington
Enroll in the Right Washington Esthetician Program
Finding and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is important to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to compile all of the information you receive from the beauty 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 process is to make sure that the school and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Washington New Jersey.
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