How to Select the Right Esthetician Program Near Shelby North Carolina
Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Shelby NC, the process starts to locate and enroll in the right program. It's imperative that the program you choose not only furnishes the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may 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 pertain to the same kind of school. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Shelby home. Tuition will likewise be a critical factor when evaluating potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it's not always the ideal option. There are several other considerations 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 discuss a little bit about what kinds of programs are offered.
It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Esthetician Career Below!
Esthetician Training Programs
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
An esthetician is a professional skin specialist who identifies cosmetic issues (such as wrinkles, pigmentation, or blemishes) and applies treatments to improve their condition. Most estheticians perform skin treatments like facials, superficial chemical peels, body treatments, skin conditioning, and blemish extraction, but they may also do waxing, lash extensions, and makeovers. Estheticians, unlike licensed cosmetologists, are also able to provide advanced treatments like microdermabrasion, chemical peels, light therapy, and hair removal. They may also educate clients on products, skincare regimens, and the benefits of esthetic procedures. Medical estheticians in clinical settings may help people identify and recover from health issues affecting the skin, such as working with cancer patients or burn victims after surgical procedures. Typically an esthetician works with a client in a spa or salon setting. Some estheticians work in a medical setting to complement medical services, such as in a dermatologist’s office, but they are not medical professionals. Estheticians may also work in locations as varied as Shelby North Carolina nursing facilities, luxury resorts, dermatologist offices or hospitals.
Online Esthetician Classes
Online esthetician schools are advantageous for Shelby NC students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online beauty school programs offered that can be attended through a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty programs are frequently fast paced given that many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a significant portion 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 outside of your home or driving to and from classes. On the other hand, it's essential that the program you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's difficult to obtain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So don't forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Esthetician Training Programs
Following is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Shelby residence, together with the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's essential to make sure that the esthetician school you pick 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 meet their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Shelby 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 a Great Reputation? Any esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Shelby NC salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. And last, contact the North Carolina school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you choose a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your goal is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your aspiration is to start a Shelby 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 need.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Learning and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty academy provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best option for cultivating your skills. So look for alternate schools that provide this type 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 landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer assistance maintain relationships with Shelby NC employers that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Many esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students as well. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an alternative until you learn what financial aid may be available.
More Info on How to Become an Esthetician in Shelby
Enroll in the Right Shelby Esthetician Course
Finding and enrolling in the right esthetician program is essential to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Don't forget to organize all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you choose are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. 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 Shelby North Carolina.
Shelby Esthetician Classes | Shelby Medical Esthetician Schools