How to Select the Best Esthetician College Near Charleston South Carolina
Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Charleston SC, the task begins to find and enroll in the best program. It's essential that the school you pick not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you might be somewhat puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Charleston 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 least expensive it's not automatically the best choice. There are various other qualifications that you should evaluate when comparing 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 discuss a bit about what kinds of courses 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 Charleston South Carolina nursing facilities, luxury resorts, dermatologist offices or hospitals.
Online Esthetics Courses
Online esthetician classes are accommodating for Charleston SC students who are working full time and have family commitments that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended via a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are often fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you're not devoting many hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it's vital that the program you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's impossible to gain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Esthetician Schools
Following is a list of questions that you should investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Charleston residence, as well as the cost of tuition, will most likely be your first 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 options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have collected several 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 sure that the esthetician college you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Charleston SC businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each esthetician institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Charleston SC salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, 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 considered. Finally, check with the South Carolina school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific 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 pick 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 aspiration is to open a Charleston SC beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Picking a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty program furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best option for cultivating your skills. So try to find other schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's essential that he or she gets assistance in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer help maintain relationships with Charleston SC businesses that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Almost all esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and identify 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 meets all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an option before you find out what financial assistance may be provided.
Learn How to Become an Aesthetician in Charleston
Enroll in the Best Charleston Esthetician Course
Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician school is essential to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Don't forget to collect all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the academy and program you pick are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Charleston South Carolina.
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