How to Pick the Right Esthetician College Near Bartlesville Oklahoma
Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Bartlesville OK, the process starts to search for and enroll in the right program. It's essential that the school you choose not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be somewhat confused about the contrast 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 intend on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Bartlesville residence. Tuition will also be an important factor when evaluating prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it's not necessarily the best option. There are various other factors that you should evaluate when analyzing 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 kinds of training programs are available.
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Esthetics 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
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 Bartlesville Oklahoma spas, resorts, salons, hospitals, nursing facilities and dermatologist offices.
Online Esthetician Schools
Online esthetician programs are advantageous for Bartlesville OK students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed via a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty programs are typically fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a considerable 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 many hours away from your home or commuting to and from classes. However, it's imperative that the training program you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it's impossible to acquire the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So don't forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Esthetics Degree Programs
Following is a series of questions that you need to research for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Bartlesville residence, together with the expense of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed 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. Below we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's important to make certain that the esthetician school 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Bartlesville OK employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every esthetician institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews along with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Bartlesville OK salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. And finally, check with the Oklahoma 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? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you enroll in 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 Bartlesville OK 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 poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Practicing and refining esthetician skills and techniques demands 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 developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty academy furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. So search for alternate schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's crucial that she or he gets help in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish help develop relationships with Bartlesville OK businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Most 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 learn what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students as well. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an option until you learn what financial assistance may be available.
More Info on How to Become an Aesthetician in Bartlesville
Enroll in the Right Bartlesville Esthetician Training
Picking and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is imperative to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to organize all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the institution and program you select are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, 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 right choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are ready to start your career as a professional esthetician in Bartlesville Oklahoma.
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