How to Choose the Best Aesthetician Training Near Lexington North Carolina
Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Lexington NC, the process begins to find and enroll in the ideal program. It's essential that the program you select not only provides the appropriate education for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be rather puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Lexington residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical consideration when evaluating possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it's not necessarily the right choice. There are several other qualifications that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine 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 courses are available.
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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 provide a wide range of beauty services to help their Lexington 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 Classes
Online esthetician programs are convenient for Lexington NC students who are employed full-time and have family commitments that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are many online cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed via a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional beauty programs are often fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not spending many hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it's vital that the program you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it's difficult to acquire the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Esthetician Trade Schools
Below is a list of questions that you should investigate for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Lexington home, together with the cost of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn 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 even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's necessary to make certain that the esthetician school 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 can also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically 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 final benefit, numerous Lexington NC employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Lexington NC salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And last, consult the North Carolina school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in complete 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, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you decide on a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your dream is to open a Lexington NC beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator as well. Choosing a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Studying and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty academy offers limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. So look for alternate schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's essential that she or he receives aid in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer help maintain relationships with Lexington NC businesses that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have broad 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. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and learn 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 satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an option until you learn what financial aid may be offered.
Learn How to Become an Esthetician in Lexington
Enroll in the Right Lexington Esthetician Course
Finding and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is important to obtain 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 responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Lexington North Carolina.
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