How to Pick the Right Aesthetician Training Near Lorton Virginia

Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Lorton VA, the task begins to search for and enroll in the ideal program. It's essential that the program you pick not only provides the necessary instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be rather unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Lorton home. Tuition will additionally be a critical factor when reviewing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it's not necessarily the best choice. There are a number of other qualifications that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the aesthetician schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let's talk a little bit about what kinds of courses 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 (or aestheticians) are skin care specialists who typically work in Lorton 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 Esthetics Courses

Online esthetician programs are convenient for Lorton VA students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed through a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are often fast paced since many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's imperative that the training program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's difficult to gain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Aesthetician Trade Schools

Below is a series of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Lorton residence, in addition to the price of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want 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 preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must 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 selection.

Is the Esthetician School 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 certified local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Lorton VA 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 Great Reputation?  Each esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Lorton VA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And last, check with the Virginia school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty?  Some esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden 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 respected for that program. If your dream is to open a Lorton VA beauty salon, then you want 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 poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.

Is Enough Live Training Provided?  Learning and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty school offers limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  When a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's important that she or he gets aid in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid develop relationships with Lorton VA employers that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available?  Almost all esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students as well. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not drop it as an option until you determine what financial aid may be available.

Learn How to Become an Aesthetician in Lorton

Enroll in the Right Lorton Esthetician Training

Choosing and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is imperative to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Don't forget to collect all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you pick are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Lorton Virginia.

 

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