How to Pick the Right Esthetician Program Near Aston Pennsylvania
Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Aston PA, the process begins to locate and enroll in the right program. It's imperative that the school you choose not only furnishes the necessary education for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you may be rather confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Aston residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical consideration when assessing possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it's not always the ideal choice. There are many other factors that you should weigh when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let's talk a little bit about what kinds of programs are offered.
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Esthetician 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 Aston Pennsylvania 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 Programs
Online esthetician programs are convenient for Aston PA students who are working full-time and have family commitments that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed via a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are often fast paced given that many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you're not spending many hours outside of your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it's essential that the school you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's impossible to obtain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Esthetics Trade Schools
Following is a list of questions that you will want to research for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Aston home, in addition to the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first 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 need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's necessary to make sure that the esthetician college you select 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 assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Aston PA 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 Good Reputation? Each esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Aston PA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to propose others that you had not considered. Finally, consult the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in total 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 specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you select a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your objective 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 aspiration is to start a Aston PA beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Picking a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty academy provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best option for cultivating your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's important that he or she receives help in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide assistance develop relationships with Aston PA employers that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm 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 extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Almost all esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at 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 accessible to students also. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you determine what financial help may be provided.
More Info on How to Become an Esthetician in Aston
Enroll in the Best Aston Esthetician Program
Selecting and enrolling in the right esthetician college is important to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be 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 beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the academy and program you choose are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Aston Pennsylvania.