How to Find the Best Aesthetician Program Near Concord North Carolina
Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Concord NC, the task starts to search for and enroll in the right program. It's imperative that the program you choose not only provides the appropriate education for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you may be rather puzzled 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 type of school. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Concord home. Tuition will likewise be a critical factor when reviewing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it's not automatically the best option. There are many other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what types of courses are offered.
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Esthetics Training Requirements
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 Concord North Carolina spas, resorts, salons, hospitals, nursing facilities and dermatologist offices.
Online Esthetics Classes
Online esthetician schools are convenient for Concord NC students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online beauty 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 often fast paced given that many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours away from your home or driving to and from classes. However, it's important that the school you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it's impossible to gain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So don't forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Aesthetician Training Courses
Below is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Concord home, as well as the expense of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the Esthetician School 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 agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Concord NC employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Concord NC salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. And finally, contact the North Carolina school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you choose a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your ambition 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 open a Concord NC beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Picking a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Studying and refining esthetician techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty school offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's crucial that he or she gets assistance in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help develop relationships with Concord NC employers that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs 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 confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Many esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask 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 offered to students as well. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not discard it as an option before you find out what financial aid may be available.
Find Out How to Become an Aesthetician in Concord
Enroll in the Right Concord Esthetician Training
Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is important to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to consolidate all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the school and program you pick are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are prepared to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Concord North Carolina.
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