How to Select the Right Esthetician Program Near South Houston Texas
Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near South Houston TX, the task begins to find and enroll in the right program. It's imperative that the school you pick not only provides the proper instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you may be rather unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your South Houston home. Tuition will likewise be an important consideration when reviewing potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it's not automatically the ideal option. There are many other factors that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what kinds of courses are offered.
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Esthetics 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 (or aestheticians) are skin care specialists who typically work in South Houston Texas spas and salons as well as resorts and medical facilities to provide a variety of treatments for their clients. Some of the typical duties of an esthetician include performing deep skin cleansing and treatments, hair removal, and massages. Estheticians also recommend skincare treatments, products, and regimens to their clients. Many estheticians are self-employed, which allows them to set their schedules and work where they wish. However, these professionals still often need to work evenings and weekends. These skin care specialists also spend much of their time standing and may be exposed to harmful chemicals. Certified estheticians have excellent customer service and communication skills. They're adept at time management, observation and monitoring and are competent in understanding and using the tools necessary for facial procedures and extractions. Certified estheticians are familiar with medical, spreadsheets, and word processing software. They present a professional appearance and have the physical fitness to stand for prolonged periods of time. A career in esthetics generally requires working evening and weekend hours.
Online Esthetics Schools
Online esthetician programs are convenient for South Houston TX students who are employed full-time and have family commitments that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be attended via a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty programs are frequently fast paced given that many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you're not spending many hours outside of your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it's essential that the program you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it's impossible to gain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So don't forget if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Aesthetician Training Courses
Below is a series of questions that you will want to look into for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your South Houston residence, together with the expense of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.
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 recognized 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 guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently 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 South Houston TX employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with South Houston TX salon owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. And finally, consult the Texas school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you choose 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 well regarded for that program. If your vision is to start a South Houston TX beauty salon, then you need 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 pursuing will not deliver the training you require.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty academy furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best option for acquiring your skills. So look for alternate schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's imperative that she or he receives aid in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide help develop relationships with South Houston TX businesses that are searching for qualified 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. In addition, 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? Almost all 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. Talk to 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 offered to students too. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an alternative until you find out what financial aid may be available.
More Info on How to Become an Aesthetician in South Houston
Enroll in the Right South Houston Esthetician Training
Choosing and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is essential to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Make sure 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 information to contrast schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the academy and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and answer 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 choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are ready to begin your career as a professional esthetician in South Houston Texas.
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