How to Pick the Right Esthetician Course Near Lower Merion Pennsylvania
Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Lower Merion PA, the process begins to search for and enroll in the best program. It's imperative that the school you pick not only furnishes the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be a little bit unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Lower Merion residence. Tuition will also be an important factor when reviewing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it's not necessarily the ideal option. There are various other considerations that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a little bit about what kinds of programs are offered.
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Esthetician 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
An esthetician is a professional skin specialist who identifies cosmetic issues (such as wrinkles, pigmentation, or blemishes) and applies treatments to improve their condition. Most estheticians perform skin treatments like facials, superficial chemical peels, body treatments, skin conditioning, and blemish extraction, but they may also do waxing, lash extensions, and makeovers. Estheticians, unlike licensed cosmetologists, are also able to provide advanced treatments like microdermabrasion, chemical peels, light therapy, and hair removal. They may also educate clients on products, skincare regimens, and the benefits of esthetic procedures. Medical estheticians in clinical settings may help people identify and recover from health issues affecting the skin, such as working with cancer patients or burn victims after surgical procedures. Typically an esthetician works with a client in a spa or salon setting. Some estheticians work in a medical setting to complement medical services, such as in a dermatologist’s office, but they are not medical professionals. Estheticians may also work in locations as varied as Lower Merion Pennsylvania nursing facilities, luxury resorts, dermatologist offices or hospitals.
Online Esthetics Programs
Online esthetician programs are accommodating for Lower Merion PA students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be attended by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty programs are typically fast paced due to the fact that many programs 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 covering the same amount of material, but you're not devoting many hours away from your home or commuting to and from classes. On the other hand, it's important that the training program you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's impossible to acquire the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Aesthetician Training Programs
Following is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Lower Merion home, together with the cost of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue 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 additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's essential to make sure that the esthetician training program you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national organization, 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 superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Lower Merion PA employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews along with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Lower Merion PA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And finally, contact the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you pick a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your goal 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 Lower Merion PA beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator as well. Selecting a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is included 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 growing skills on real people. If a beauty school furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. So look for other schools that furnish this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's imperative that he or she receives help in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develop relationships with Lower Merion PA employers that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Most esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and identify 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 offered to students as well. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you determine what financial assistance may be provided.
Learn How to Become an Aesthetician in Lower Merion
Enroll in the Right Lower Merion Esthetician Program
Choosing and enrolling in the right esthetician college is essential to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Make certain to collect all of the information 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 sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the academy and program you choose are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Lower Merion Pennsylvania.
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