How to Select the Best Aesthetician Program Near Drexel Hill Pennsylvania
Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Drexel Hill PA, the task starts to search for and enroll in the best program. It's essential that the program you pick not only provides the necessary education for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you might be somewhat puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Drexel Hill residence. Tuition will also be an important factor when reviewing possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it's not always the right choice. There are several other considerations that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for example 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 little bit about what types of courses are available.
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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 Drexel Hill 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 Training
Online esthetician classes are accommodating for Drexel Hill PA students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs available that can be attended via a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are typically fast paced given that many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not spending many hours outside of your home or commuting to and from classes. On the other hand, it's essential that the training program you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it's impossible to acquire the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So don't forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Esthetics Degree Programs
Below is a series of questions that you should research for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Drexel Hill residence, as well as the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's important to make sure that the esthetician school you pick 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 comply with their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Drexel Hill PA employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Drexel Hill PA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. Finally, consult the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total 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, providing training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you enroll in a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your goal 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 dream is to open a Drexel Hill PA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator as well. Picking a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Practicing and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Check 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 enable students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best option for developing your skills. So try to find other schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's imperative that he or she gets assistance in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with Drexel Hill PA businesses that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, 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 regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might qualify 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 satisfies all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you find out what financial help may be offered.
Find Out How to Become an Aesthetician in Drexel Hill
Enroll in the Best Drexel Hill Esthetician Course
Locating and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is important to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Don't forget to organize all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the institution and program you decide on are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and answer 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 selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Drexel Hill Pennsylvania.
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