How to Choose the Right Aesthetician Training Near Haverford Pennsylvania
Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Haverford PA, the process starts to search for and enroll in the right program. It's important that the program you choose not only furnishes the proper instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you may be somewhat unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Haverford home. Tuition will also be an important factor when reviewing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it's not always the best choice. There are a number of other considerations that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what types of programs 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 Haverford 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 programs are accommodating for Haverford PA students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs available that can be accessed via a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty programs are typically fast paced since many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. However, it's essential that the program you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it's impossible to obtain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Aesthetician Training Programs
Following is a series of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Haverford residence, in addition to the cost of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's important to make sure that the esthetician college 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 meet their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often 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 final benefit, a number of Haverford PA businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician institute 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 employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Haverford PA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. And last, contact the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering 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 important that you choose a school that focuses on 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 vision is to open a Haverford PA 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 ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Practicing and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty school offers limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the best option for acquiring your skills. So try to find other schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's crucial that he or she receives support in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide aid maintain relationships with Haverford PA businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Many esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check 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 too. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an option before you determine what financial aid may be available.
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Enroll in the Right Haverford Esthetician Training
Picking and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is important to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to compile all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Haverford Pennsylvania.
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