How to Select the Best Esthetician College Near Nashville Tennessee
Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Nashville TN, the process begins to find and enroll in the ideal program. It's important that the school you choose not only provides the proper education for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be a little bit confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Nashville home. Tuition will additionally be an important factor when evaluating prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it's not always the ideal choice. There are various other considerations that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what types of 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
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 Nashville Tennessee nursing facilities, luxury resorts, dermatologist offices or hospitals.
Online Esthetics Classes
Online esthetician programs are convenient for Nashville TN students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended through a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional beauty schools are frequently fast paced given that many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's important that the school you choose can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it's difficult to acquire the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So don't forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Esthetics Schools
Below is a list of questions that you should look into for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Nashville home, in addition to the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's important to make certain that the esthetician college you choose 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Nashville TN employers will not hire 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 college that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Nashville TN salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. Finally, check with the Tennessee 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 Focus? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing 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 expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you enroll in a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your objective is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your desire is to open a Nashville TN beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Selecting a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Studying and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy provides limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for developing your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's essential that she or he receives help in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide assistance maintain relationships with Nashville TN employers that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations 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 Assistance Offered? Most esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students also. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not omit it as an option before you learn what financial help may be offered.
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Enroll in the Right Nashville Esthetician Training
Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is imperative to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to compile all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A good start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the college and program you pick are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Nashville Tennessee.
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