How to Choose the Right Esthetician Training Near Greenville South Carolina
Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Greenville SC, the process starts to find and enroll in the best program. It's essential that the school you choose not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be rather puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Greenville residence. Tuition will additionally be an important factor when reviewing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it's not automatically the right option. There are various other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the aesthetician schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let's talk a bit about what types of training programs are available.
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Esthetics Training Requirements
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 Greenville South Carolina spas, resorts, salons, hospitals, nursing facilities and dermatologist offices.
Online Esthetics Programs
Online esthetician schools are advantageous for Greenville SC students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs available that can be attended through a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are typically fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not spending many hours outside of your home or commuting to and from classes. However, it's important that the training program you choose can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's impossible to obtain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So don't forget if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Esthetics Training Programs
Following is a series of questions that you need to look into for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Greenville home, together with the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want 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 initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's necessary to make sure that the esthetician college you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Greenville SC employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Greenville SC salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, 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. Finally, contact the South Carolina school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand 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 sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your dream is to start a Greenville SC beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator as well. Choosing a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Studying and mastering esthetician skills and techniques involves lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the best option for cultivating your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's essential that he or she receives assistance in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer help maintain relationships with Greenville SC employers that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Almost all esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and learn 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 also. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not drop it as an option before you determine what financial aid may be available.
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Enroll in the Right Greenville Esthetician Program
Finding and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is important to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to compile all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the school and program you decide on are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Greenville South Carolina.
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