How to Pick the Right Aesthetician School Near Plainview Texas
Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Plainview TX, the process begins to find and enroll in the right program. It's imperative that the program you select not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be a little bit unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Plainview residence. Tuition will also be a critical consideration when assessing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it's not necessarily the best choice. There are many other considerations that you should weigh when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are looking at later within 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 Plainview Texas 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 programs are advantageous for Plainview TX students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online beauty school programs offered that can be attended through a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional beauty schools are often fast paced because many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not spending many hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. However, it's imperative that the program you choose can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's difficult to gain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Esthetician Trade Schools
Below is a list of questions that you will want to research for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Plainview home, as well as the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Esthetician School 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 agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Plainview TX employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. 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, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Plainview TX salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And finally, consult the Texas school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you enroll in a school that specializes in 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 respected for that program. If your vision is to launch a Plainview TX beauty salon, then you need 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 require.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided 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 program offers limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for developing your skills. So search for alternate schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's imperative that he or she receives aid in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer aid develop relationships with Plainview TX businesses that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students too. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an option before you learn what financial aid may be provided.
More Info on How to Become an Aesthetician in Plainview
Enroll in the Right Plainview Esthetician Program
Locating and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is important to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Don't forget to organize all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you choose are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are prepared to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Plainview Texas.
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