How to Choose the Right Aesthetician Course Near West Chester Pennsylvania
Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near West Chester PA, the process starts to search for and enroll in the ideal program. It's important that the program you pick not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you may be rather unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your West Chester home. Tuition will additionally be an important factor when assessing potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it's not necessarily the right choice. There are several other qualifications that you should weigh when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the aesthetician schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let's talk a little bit about what types of training programs are available.
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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 West Chester Pennsylvania nursing facilities, luxury resorts, dermatologist offices or hospitals.
Online Esthetician Schools
Online esthetician programs are convenient for West Chester PA students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional beauty programs are often fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not devoting many hours away from your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it's imperative that the training program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's impossible to obtain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So don't forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Aesthetician Trade Schools
Following is a list of questions that you will want to research for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your West Chester residence, in addition to the expense of tuition, will most likely be your initial 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 choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected some of those additional questions that you need to ask every 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 agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically 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 final benefit, many West Chester PA employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews together with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with West Chester PA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. And last, contact the Pennsylvania school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you select a school that focuses on 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 dream is to launch a West Chester PA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Choosing a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided 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 depends heavily on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. So try to find other schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's crucial that she or he receives support in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer help develop relationships with West Chester PA employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? The majority of esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students too. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not omit it as an option until you find out what financial help may be offered.
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Enroll in the Right West Chester Esthetician Program
Finding and enrolling in the right esthetician program is essential to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Don't forget to organize 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 beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the academy and program you choose are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are qualified to begin your career as a professional esthetician in West Chester Pennsylvania.
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