How to Choose the Best Esthetician Training Program Near Asheville North Carolina

Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Asheville NC, the process starts to search for and enroll in the best program. It's important that the school you select not only furnishes the appropriate training for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you might be a little bit unclear about the difference 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 anticipate commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Asheville residence. Tuition will also be an important aspect when evaluating potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it's not always the ideal option. There are a number of other considerations that you should weigh when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review 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 kinds of programs are available.

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Esthetician Training Programs

Esthetics programs, which are available through dedicated schools of esthetics, career colleges or schools of cosmetology, must meet the requirements set forth by each state’s board of cosmetology. Most states recognize esthetics programs that consist of 600 hours of coursework and practical training as meeting the requirements for licensure, although a number of states require more hours while others require significantly fewer. For example, esthetician license candidates in Wisconsin must complete a program that is at least 450 hours long, while candidates in Indiana must complete a program consisting of at least 700 hours. Esthetics programs blend theory and practical study to introduce students to everything from skin histology and sanitation practices to the safe application of facial products and makeup. These programs also include coursework that covers the business, ethics and professional standards of the esthetics industry.

Esthetician Job Description

Estheticians provide a wide range of beauty services to help their Asheville North Carolina 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 accommodating for Asheville NC students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities 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 through a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty schools are frequently fast paced since many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you're not devoting numerous hours away from your home or commuting to and from classes. On the other hand, it's imperative that the school you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it's difficult to acquire the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Schools

Following is a list of questions that you should investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Asheville home, together with the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed 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 school. Below we have put together several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's necessary to make sure that the esthetician training program 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Asheville NC businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation?  Every esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Asheville NC salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. Finally, consult the North Carolina school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty?  Some esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating 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 commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you decide on 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 respected for that program. If your aspiration is to start a Asheville NC beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Choosing a highly rated 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 mastering esthetician skills and techniques involves lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty school provides limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. Therefore search for other schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  Once a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's essential that he or she receives aid in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with Asheville NC employers that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments 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 respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered?  The majority of esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students too. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not drop it as an option until you learn what financial aid may be provided.

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Enroll in the Right Asheville Esthetician Training

Choosing and enrolling in the right esthetician school is essential to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Don't forget to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the school and program you decide on are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are ready to start your career as a professional esthetician in Asheville North Carolina.

 

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