How to Choose the Right Aesthetician Classes Near Smyrna Tennessee
Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Smyrna TN, the process begins to locate and enroll in the best program. It's imperative that the school you pick not only furnishes the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you might be a little bit unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Smyrna home. Tuition will additionally be an important consideration when reviewing potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it's not always the best option. There are many other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the aesthetician schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let's discuss a little bit about what kinds of training programs are available.
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Esthetician Training Programs
Esthetics school is an investment of time, energy, and money. Requirements vary from state to state, but the majority of states require that you complete at least 600 hours of training. Full-time school can take an average of six months to complete, and part-time school can take anywhere from 9-12 months. The primary purpose of esthetics school is to get you ready to pass the state licensing exam. They also teach basic skills that you will need to perfect through experience and sometimes additional classes, such as giving facials, body treatments, and performing waxing. More advanced training includes learning to work with machines, such as IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) and Lasers used to rejuvenate the skin and permanently remove hair.
Esthetician Job Description
Estheticians provide a wide range of beauty services to help their Smyrna Tennessee clients look and feel better. This includes improving the quality of the skin (including the treatment of skin disorders), hair removal, permanent makeup application, and facial massage. Some types of estheticians, like medical estheticians, provide highly specialized procedures that require detailed training in order for it to be done safely and effectively. Medical estheticians can help individuals suffering from serious skin disorders, burns, and other trauma, and to help with pre and post-operative surgery affecting the health of their skin. Estheticians work closely with their clients in a friendly and positive manner, so an enthusiastic attitude and desire to help people is an excellent attribute for an aspiring esthetician to possess. Some of the basic duties an esthetician may perform will include such tasks as:
- Assessing a patient’s needs
- Chemical peels
- Laser treatments
- Waxing
- Facials
- Massage of the head and neck
- Microdermabrasion
Online Esthetics Schools
Online esthetician schools are accommodating for Smyrna TN students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended via a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional beauty schools are frequently fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not devoting many hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it's important that the program you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's difficult to obtain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Esthetics Programs
Following is a list of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Smyrna residence, as well as the cost of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to earn 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 initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have put together some of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's necessary to make sure that the esthetician school you enroll in 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Smyrna TN businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Smyrna TN salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. Finally, contact the Tennessee school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you choose 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 desire is to launch a Smyrna TN 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 rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Practicing and refining esthetician techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty school offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's important that she or he receives assistance in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer aid maintain relationships with Smyrna TN employers that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs 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. High rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Many esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students too. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an option before you learn what financial help may be available.
Find Out How to Become an Esthetician in Smyrna
Enroll in the Right Smyrna Esthetician Training
Locating and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is important to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Don't forget to organize all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the institution and program you select are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to reduce 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 launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Smyrna Tennessee.