How to Find the Right Esthetician Training Program Near Philadelphia Pennsylvania

Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Philadelphia PA, the task begins to search for and enroll in the ideal program. It's important that the program you select not only provides the necessary education for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be somewhat confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Philadelphia residence. Tuition will likewise be an important aspect when reviewing possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it's not automatically the ideal choice. There are several other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a little bit about what kinds of programs are available.

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Esthetics 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 (or aestheticians) are skin care specialists who typically work in Philadelphia Pennsylvania spas and salons as well as resorts and medical facilities to provide a variety of treatments for their clients. Some of the typical duties of an esthetician include performing deep skin cleansing and treatments, hair removal, and massages. Estheticians also recommend skincare treatments, products, and regimens to their clients. Many estheticians are self-employed, which allows them to set their schedules and work where they wish. However, these professionals still often need to work evenings and weekends. These skin care specialists also spend much of their time standing and may be exposed to harmful chemicals. Certified estheticians have excellent customer service and communication skills. They're adept at time management, observation and monitoring and are competent in understanding and using the tools necessary for facial procedures and extractions. Certified estheticians are familiar with medical, spreadsheets, and word processing software. They present a professional appearance and have the physical fitness to stand for prolonged periods of time. A career in esthetics generally requires working evening and weekend hours.

Online Esthetician Courses

Online esthetician schools are accommodating for Philadelphia PA students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed via a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional beauty schools are often fast paced because many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not spending many hours outside of your home or travelling to and from classes. However, it's vital that the school you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it's difficult to obtain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Training Programs

Following is a series of questions that you should investigate for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Philadelphia residence, together with the expense of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled some of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's important to make certain that the esthetician school you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often 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 Philadelphia PA employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation?  Any esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews together with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Philadelphia PA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. And finally, contact the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus?  Many esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for example 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 certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your vision is to launch a Philadelphia PA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator as well. Selecting a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.

Is Any Live Training Provided?  Learning and refining esthetician techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty academy furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. So search for other schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's essential that she or he gets aid in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help develop relationships with Philadelphia PA businesses that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available?  Most esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and identify 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 offered to students too. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not drop it as an option until you determine what financial aid may be offered.

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Enroll in the Right Philadelphia Esthetician Training

Locating and enrolling in the right esthetician program is imperative to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to compile all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to contrast schools. A good start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the college and program you pick are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are ready to start your career as a professional esthetician in Philadelphia Pennsylvania.

 

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