How to Pick the Right Esthetician School Near Enid Oklahoma
Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Enid OK, the task begins to locate and enroll in the right program. It's imperative that the program you select not only provides the proper instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be rather confused about the distinction 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 intend on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Enid residence. Tuition will likewise be an important aspect when reviewing potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it's not always the right option. There are several other factors that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let's talk a little 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 provide a wide range of beauty services to help their Enid Oklahoma 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 Esthetician Classes
Online esthetician classes are accommodating for Enid OK students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs offered that can be attended by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty schools are typically fast paced because many programs 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 amount of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's vital that the training program you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's difficult to obtain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So don't forget if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Esthetics Training Courses
Following is a series of questions that you should investigate for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Enid home, as well as the price of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those initial 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 should ask each school before making a final selection.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's important to make certain that the esthetician school you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified 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 quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Enid OK employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials 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 services for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Enid OK salon owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And last, contact 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? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular 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 choose a school that specializes in 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 well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to start a Enid OK beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator as well. Choosing a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician skills and techniques requires lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty school offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. So search for other schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's important that she or he receives assistance in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with Enid OK employers that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Many esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and learn 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 meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you find out what financial help may be available.
More Info on How to Become an Aesthetician in Enid
Enroll in the Right Enid Esthetician Program
Locating and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is essential to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to compile 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 contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the school and program you select are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are ready to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Enid Oklahoma.