How to Pick the Right Aesthetician Training Program Near North Huntingdon Pennsylvania
Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near North Huntingdon PA, the process starts to search for and enroll in the best program. It's important that the program you select not only furnishes the necessary instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be somewhat puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles 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 North Huntingdon home. Tuition will additionally be an important aspect when evaluating potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it's not always the ideal choice. There are several other considerations that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let's discuss a little bit about what kinds of training programs are offered.
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Esthetician Training Requirements
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 North Huntingdon 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 Esthetician Training
Online esthetician schools are convenient for North Huntingdon PA students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online beauty school programs offered that can be attended through a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are typically fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you're not spending many hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's essential that the training program you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive 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 facet of the cosmetology industry. So don't forget if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Esthetics Training Programs
Below is a series of questions that you will want to research for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your North Huntingdon home, in addition to the cost of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have put together several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's necessary 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a superior 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 criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many North Huntingdon PA employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews along with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with North Huntingdon PA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And last, consult the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing 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 frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you pick 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 desire is to launch a North Huntingdon 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 regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and refining esthetician skills and techniques involves lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty program furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's essential that she or he gets assistance in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance maintain relationships with North Huntingdon PA businesses that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, 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 Assistance Offered? 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. 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 offered to students also. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not drop it as an option before you determine what financial aid may be available.
Learn How to Become an Esthetician in North Huntingdon
Enroll in the Best North Huntingdon Esthetician Course
Finding and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is essential to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to collect all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the school and program you choose are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are prepared to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in North Huntingdon Pennsylvania.
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