How to Enroll In the Right Aesthetician College Near Brambleton Virginia
Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Brambleton VA, the task starts to locate and enroll in the right program. It's imperative that the program you pick not only furnishes the appropriate training for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be somewhat confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Brambleton residence. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when evaluating prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it's not always the best option. There are a number of other factors that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are considering 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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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 provide a wide range of beauty services to help their Brambleton Virginia 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 Esthetician Schools
Online esthetician programs are convenient for Brambleton VA students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs available that can be attended through a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are typically fast paced since many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours away from your home or commuting to and from classes. On the other hand, it's essential that the school you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it's impossible to obtain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So don't forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Esthetician Training Courses
Following is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Brambleton residence, in addition to the price of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have put together several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's essential 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 agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Brambleton VA businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent 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 as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Brambleton VA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. And finally, contact the Virginia 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 Specialty? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you choose a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your objective 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 vision is to launch a Brambleton 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 regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Practicing and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on people. Check 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 growing skills on real people. If a beauty school furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on using mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for developing your skills. So try to find other schools that furnish this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's essential that she or he gets aid in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer aid maintain relationships with Brambleton VA employers that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Most esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing 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 available to students also. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not drop it as an option until you determine what financial help may be offered.
Find Out How to Become an Aesthetician in Brambleton
Enroll in the Right Brambleton Esthetician Course
Selecting and enrolling in the right esthetician program is important to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to organize all of the responses you receive from the beauty 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 procedure is to make certain that the institution and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are ready to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Brambleton Virginia.
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