How to Choose the Right Aesthetician College Near Pittsburgh Pennsylvania

Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Pittsburgh PA, the process begins to find and enroll in the best program. It's imperative that the program you choose not only provides the proper education for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you might be rather puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Pittsburgh home. Tuition will additionally be a critical consideration when reviewing potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it's not necessarily the ideal choice. There are various other considerations that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what kinds of programs are offered.

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Esthetics Training Requirements

Estheticians are highly trained, in-demand skincare experts, which is why an esthetics program requires around 600 hours of hands-on training hours. For licensure, you need to demonstrate a thorough understanding of the skin and the technology used in advanced treatments like lasers, LED lights, oxygen, or ultrasonic waves. Keep in mind that program requirements can vary by state, but most states require at least 600 hours of training to obtain a license in the field. In addition to training, estheticians should also have a professional and friendly personality that instills confidence in their clients. A skilled esthetician must be able to listen and empathize with their clients’ needs and concerns, often personalizing treatment for them.

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 Pittsburgh Pennsylvania nursing facilities, luxury resorts, dermatologist offices or hospitals.

Online Esthetics Classes

Online esthetician classes are accommodating for Pittsburgh PA students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs offered that can be accessed through a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty programs are frequently fast paced given that many programs are as short as six or eight 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. On the other hand, it's imperative that the school you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it's impossible to gain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Aesthetician Trade Schools

Below is a series of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Pittsburgh home, as well as the cost of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to earn 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 initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following 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 training program you enroll in 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 assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Pittsburgh PA employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation?  Every esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Pittsburgh PA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And finally, contact the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus?  A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you select a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your ambition 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 start a Pittsburgh 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 weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.

Is Any Live Training Provided?  Learning and refining esthetician skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty school provides little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. So look for alternate schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  When a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's important that she or he receives aid in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with Pittsburgh PA employers that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered?  The majority of esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students as well. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not omit it as an alternative before you learn what financial assistance may be available.

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Enroll in the Best Pittsburgh Esthetician Training

Finding and enrolling in the right esthetician college is essential to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to organize all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the school and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to start your career as a professional esthetician in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania.

 

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