How to Enroll In the Best Aesthetician Classes Near Ithaca New York
Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Ithaca NY, the process begins to search for and enroll in the best program. It's important that the school you pick not only provides the proper instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might 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 type of school. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Ithaca residence. Tuition will also be an important factor when reviewing possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it's not necessarily the right option. There are various other factors that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the aesthetician schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let's talk a little bit about what kinds of training 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 Ithaca 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 Ithaca NY students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty programs are often fast paced because many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you're not spending many hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's important that the school you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's impossible to obtain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Esthetician Trade Schools
Following is a series of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Ithaca residence, together with the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's necessary to make certain that the esthetician college you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered 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 Ithaca NY employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great 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 testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Ithaca NY salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And finally, 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 comprehensive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you select 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 well regarded for that program. If your vision is to launch a Ithaca NY 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 Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and mastering 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 site that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty school offers little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on using mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. So look for other schools that provide 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 assistance in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer aid maintain relationships with Ithaca NY businesses that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? The majority of esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school belongs to 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 with the exception of expense, do not omit it as an option until you learn what financial help may be available.
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Enroll in the Best Ithaca Esthetician Training
Selecting and enrolling in the right esthetician school is imperative to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Make 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 utilize that data to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the institution and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are ready to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Ithaca New York.
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