How to Find the Best Aesthetician Course Near Ithaca New York
Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Ithaca NY, the process starts to find and enroll in the right program. It's imperative that the program you choose not only furnishes the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you may be rather confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Ithaca home. Tuition will additionally be a critical factor when reviewing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it's not necessarily the best option. There are many other factors that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about 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.
It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Esthetician Career Below!
Esthetics Training Programs
An esthetics program may be found in a school of cosmetology, a dedicated esthetics school or, in some cases, a junior college. An esthetics program’s length is generally determined by the state in which it is located, as each state board of cosmetology sets minimum requirements for the number of hours of training an esthetics program must provide to meet the state’s licensing requirements. However, it is also quite common for esthetics programs to offer more extensive study beyond what is required for licensing purposes. In general, an esthetics program consists of about 600 hours, a common requirement in many states. However, a number of states require less than 600 hours and perhaps just as many require more than 600. Most state boards of cosmetology maintain lists of approved programs of esthetics within the state, while others recognize all programs that meet the state’s minimum clock-hour requirement. A comprehensive esthetics program includes instruction not only in esthetic treatment procedures and services, but in areas such as the structure of the skin and its function, disorders of the skin, and professional business skills.
Esthetician Job Description
As skilled skincare experts, estheticians need to be knowledgeable of everything from skin histology and physiology to bacteriology and sanitation protocols. As beauty professionals, estheticians must be trained to perform the services that promote healthy, radiant skin – including everything from hair removal methods, pore cleansing and extractions to microdermabrasion, makeup artistry, chemical peels, and light therapy. As beauty and wellness experts, people also turn to estheticians for consultations, advice, and tips for home skincare regimens. They may recommend products, educate clients, and recommend esthetic procedures based on their clients’ needs and wants. Their work environments can include Ithaca New York spas, resorts, salons, hospitals, nursing facilities and dermatologist offices.
Online Esthetics Training
Online esthetician programs are accommodating for Ithaca NY students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs available that can be attended by means of a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are typically fast paced given that many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you're not devoting many hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it's essential that the school 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 impossible to gain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Aesthetician Training Classes
Following is a list of questions that you need to look into for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Ithaca residence, in addition to the expense of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's important to make sure that the esthetician school you select 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 meet their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Ithaca NY employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Check rating services for reviews along with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Ithaca NY salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. And finally, check with the New York school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you choose a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your goal is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your vision is to open a Ithaca NY beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator as well. Selecting a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Learning and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques requires lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty program furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the best option for acquiring your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's essential that he or she receives assistance in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide assistance maintain relationships with Ithaca NY employers that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, ask 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 Available? Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Speak 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 offered to students too. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not drop it as an option until you determine what financial help may be provided.
Find Out How to Become an Aesthetician in Ithaca
Enroll in the Right Ithaca Esthetician Course
Picking and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is important to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to organize all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are prepared to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Ithaca New York.
Ithaca Medical Esthetician Schools | Ithaca Aesthetician Schools Near Me