How to Choose the Best Aesthetician Training Near Lakewood Ohio
Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Lakewood OH, the process starts to search for and enroll in the best program. It's essential that the school you select not only provides the appropriate education for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be a little bit confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Lakewood residence. Tuition will also be an important consideration when reviewing possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it's not automatically the ideal choice. There are a number of other qualifications that you should evaluate when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the aesthetician schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let's talk a bit about what kinds of training programs 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 Lakewood Ohio spas, resorts, salons, hospitals, nursing facilities and dermatologist offices.
Online Esthetician Courses
Online esthetician classes are convenient for Lakewood OH students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed via a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are typically fast paced given that many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant 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 many hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it's vital that the school you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's difficult to acquire the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Esthetician Trade Schools
Below is a series of questions that you should look into for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Lakewood home, in addition to the price of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to earn 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 even more factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's necessary to make sure that the esthetician college you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Lakewood OH businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good 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, showing that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Lakewood OH salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. And finally, check with the Ohio school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you decide on 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 desire is to launch a Lakewood OH beauty salon, then you want 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 poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Studying and mastering esthetician skills and techniques involves lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty academy offers little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. So try to find other schools that furnish this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's imperative that she or he receives aid in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish aid maintain relationships with Lakewood OH businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Almost all esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students also. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not drop it as an alternative before you find out what financial help may be available.
Learn How to Become an Aesthetician in Lakewood
Enroll in the Right Lakewood Esthetician Course
Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is imperative to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Don't forget to collect all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you pick are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are ready to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Lakewood Ohio.
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