How to Select the Right Aesthetician Course Near Arlington Virginia

Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Arlington VA, the process begins to find and enroll in the right program. It's imperative that the program you select not only furnishes the necessary training for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may be a little bit confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Arlington home. Tuition will likewise be a critical factor when evaluating prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it's not automatically the best choice. There are several other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let's talk a little bit about what types of training programs are offered.

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Esthetics 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 Arlington 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 Classes

Online esthetician programs are accommodating for Arlington VA students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended via a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are frequently fast paced since many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you're not devoting many hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's important that the training program you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's difficult to obtain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So don't forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Degree Programs

Below is a series of questions that you should research for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Arlington home, together with the expense of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced 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 several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's important to make sure 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Arlington VA employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation?  Each esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Arlington VA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And finally, consult the Virginia 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?  A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you choose a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your intention 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 Arlington VA 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 ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided?  Learning and refining esthetician techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for developing your skills. So search for other schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  Once a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's crucial that he or she receives help in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide assistance develop relationships with Arlington VA businesses that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm 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. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students also. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an option until you determine what financial aid may be available.

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Enroll in the Best Arlington Esthetician Program

Picking and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is important to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the academy and program you choose are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this post, 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 exam, you will be self-assured that you are ready to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Arlington Virginia.

 

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