How to Pick the Right Esthetician Program Near Pittsburgh Pennsylvania

Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Pittsburgh PA, the process starts to locate and enroll in the right program. It's important that the school you select not only provides the appropriate education for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you might be rather puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Pittsburgh residence. Tuition will likewise be an important factor when assessing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not automatically the ideal option. There are several other considerations that you should evaluate when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the aesthetician schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let's talk a bit about what kinds of courses are offered.

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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 Pittsburgh 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 classes are advantageous for Pittsburgh PA students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional beauty schools are typically fast paced given that many programs are as brief as six or eight 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 are not devoting many hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's vital that the program you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's difficult to gain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Aesthetician Degree Programs

Following is a series of questions that you should research for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Pittsburgh home, as well as the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have put together some of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's important to make certain that the esthetician training program you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national agency, 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 can also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently 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 concluding benefit, a number of Pittsburgh PA businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation?  Each esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Pittsburgh PA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, 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 looked into. And finally, check with the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in complete 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 specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you select a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your aspiration is to launch a Pittsburgh PA beauty salon, then you need 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 weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided?  Practicing and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques requires lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's crucial that he or she receives aid in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer aid develop relationships with Pittsburgh PA businesses that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered?  Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and find out 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 accessible to students as well. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you determine what financial assistance may be offered.

Find Out How to Become an Aesthetician in Pittsburgh

Enroll in the Right Pittsburgh Esthetician Program

Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is essential to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to consolidate all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to contrast schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the academy and program you pick are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are qualified to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania.

 

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