How to Select the Right Esthetician School Near Jacksonville North Carolina
Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Jacksonville NC, the process begins to find and enroll in the ideal program. It's essential that the program you select not only furnishes the necessary instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be a little bit unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Jacksonville residence. Tuition will also be an important consideration when reviewing possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it's not always the ideal option. There are many other considerations that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning 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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Esthetics Training Programs
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 (or aestheticians) are skin care specialists who typically work in Jacksonville North Carolina spas and salons as well as resorts and medical facilities to provide a variety of treatments for their clients. Some of the typical duties of an esthetician include performing deep skin cleansing and treatments, hair removal, and massages. Estheticians also recommend skincare treatments, products, and regimens to their clients. Many estheticians are self-employed, which allows them to set their schedules and work where they wish. However, these professionals still often need to work evenings and weekends. These skin care specialists also spend much of their time standing and may be exposed to harmful chemicals. Certified estheticians have excellent customer service and communication skills. They're adept at time management, observation and monitoring and are competent in understanding and using the tools necessary for facial procedures and extractions. Certified estheticians are familiar with medical, spreadsheets, and word processing software. They present a professional appearance and have the physical fitness to stand for prolonged periods of time. A career in esthetics generally requires working evening and weekend hours.
Online Esthetics Programs
Online esthetician classes are accommodating for Jacksonville NC students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are often 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 online courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not spending numerous hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's important that the program you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it's difficult to obtain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Esthetician Training Courses
Following is a series of questions that you should research for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Jacksonville residence, together with the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced 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. Following we have compiled some of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's essential to make certain that the esthetician training program you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized 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 superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Jacksonville NC employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Jacksonville NC salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And last, check with the North Carolina school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you pick 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 vision is to start a Jacksonville 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 poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school provides limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best option for developing your skills. Therefore look for other schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's important that he or she receives support in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide assistance develop relationships with Jacksonville NC businesses that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Almost all esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are considering 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 also. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not drop it as an option until you find out what financial assistance may be offered.
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Enroll in the Best Jacksonville Esthetician Training
Choosing and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is essential to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to organize all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the institution and program you decide on are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to narrow down 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 ready to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Jacksonville North Carolina.
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