How to Enroll In the Right Aesthetician College Near Auburn New York
Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Auburn NY, the task begins to locate and enroll in the right program. It's imperative that the school you pick not only provides the proper instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be somewhat puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Auburn home. Tuition will also be a critical factor when assessing possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it's not necessarily the right option. There are a number of other considerations that you should evaluate 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 in this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what kinds of programs are offered.
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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 provide a wide range of beauty services to help their Auburn New York 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 Auburn NY students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs offered that can be attended through a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty schools are often fast paced because many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you're not spending many hours away from your home or driving to and from classes. However, it's essential that the program you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it's impossible to acquire the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Esthetician Training Classes
Following is a series of questions that you will want to look into for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Auburn residence, in addition to the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's important to make certain that the esthetician college you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Auburn NY employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably 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 exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Auburn NY salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. And last, consult the New York school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you decide on a school that focuses on 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 well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to open a Auburn NY 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 poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty school furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's important that she or he gets aid in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish aid maintain relationships with Auburn NY businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have wide 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. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students too. If a school meets 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 offered.
Find Out How to Become an Aesthetician in Auburn
Enroll in the Right Auburn Esthetician Course
Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is essential to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to organize all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the institution and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional 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 proper choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are ready to start your career as a professional esthetician in Auburn New York.