How to Select the Right Aesthetician College Near Alexandria Virginia

Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Alexandria VA, the task starts to search for and enroll in the ideal program. It's essential that the program you pick not only furnishes the appropriate training for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be somewhat unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Alexandria home. Tuition will also be a critical factor when reviewing potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it's not always the right choice. There are a number of other considerations that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the aesthetician schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what types of courses are offered.

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Esthetician Training Requirements

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 Alexandria Virginia 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 Esthetician Programs

Online esthetician schools are accommodating for Alexandria VA students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are many online cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are typically fast paced because many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. On the other hand, it's important that the program you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it's impossible to acquire the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So don't forget if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Degree Programs

Following is a series of questions that you should research for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Alexandria residence, as well as the cost of tuition, will most likely be your first 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 take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have collected some of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's essential to make sure that the esthetician college you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized 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 guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically 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, a number of Alexandria VA businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation?  Each esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews together with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Alexandria VA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. And finally, contact the Virginia school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty?  Many esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering 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 essential 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 well regarded for that program. If your dream is to launch a Alexandria VA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator as well. Selecting a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided?  Studying and refining esthetician techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided 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 academy furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. So try to find other schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  Once a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's crucial that he or she gets help in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid develop relationships with Alexandria VA employers that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered?  Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students also. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not discard it as an option before you learn what financial assistance may be offered.

Find Out How to Become an Aesthetician in Alexandria

Enroll in the Right Alexandria Esthetician Program

Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician school is imperative to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Make certain to organize all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you pick are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, 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 ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are prepared to start your career as a professional esthetician in Alexandria Virginia.

 

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