How to Select the Right Aesthetician College Near Wilkes Barre Pennsylvania
Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Wilkes Barre PA, the process starts to find and enroll in the ideal program. It's essential that the program you select not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you might be somewhat confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Wilkes Barre home. Tuition will also be a critical factor when reviewing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not automatically the right option. There are many other factors that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let's talk a bit about what kinds of training programs are offered.
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Esthetics 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
As skilled skincare experts, estheticians need to be knowledgeable of everything from skin histology and physiology to bacteriology and sanitation protocols. As beauty professionals, estheticians must be trained to perform the services that promote healthy, radiant skin – including everything from hair removal methods, pore cleansing and extractions to microdermabrasion, makeup artistry, chemical peels, and light therapy. As beauty and wellness experts, people also turn to estheticians for consultations, advice, and tips for home skincare regimens. They may recommend products, educate clients, and recommend esthetic procedures based on their clients’ needs and wants. Their work environments can include Wilkes Barre Pennsylvania spas, resorts, salons, hospitals, nursing facilities and dermatologist offices.
Online Esthetics Classes
Online esthetician classes are advantageous for Wilkes Barre PA students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed via a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty programs are typically fast paced since many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not spending numerous hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it's imperative that the training program you choose can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's difficult to acquire the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Esthetician Schools
Below is a series of questions that you should look into for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Wilkes Barre home, in addition to the price of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want 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 initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's necessary to make certain that the esthetician college you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Wilkes Barre PA employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews along with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Wilkes Barre PA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. 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 complaints filed or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for example 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 focuses on your area of interest. Since your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to launch a Wilkes Barre PA beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Choosing a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Learning and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty academy furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's crucial that she or he receives aid in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide aid develop relationships with Wilkes Barre PA employers that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and find out 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 available to students too. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you find out what financial help may be provided.
Find Out How to Become an Esthetician in Wilkes Barre
Enroll in the Right Wilkes Barre Esthetician Program
Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician program is essential to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to compile all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you select are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions provided 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 examination, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Wilkes Barre Pennsylvania.
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