How to Select the Best Esthetician Program Near Lorton Virginia
Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Lorton VA, the task starts to search for and enroll in the ideal program. It's imperative that the program you choose not only furnishes the appropriate training for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you may be somewhat puzzled 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 plan on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Lorton home. Tuition will likewise be an important factor when assessing possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it's not necessarily the ideal choice. There are various other qualifications that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what types of courses are available.
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Esthetics Degrees and Certificates
There are primarily two pathways available to get esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate's degree. Certificate programs typically require 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate's degree usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you want to concentrate on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Lorton VA business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master's degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you choose, it's important to make sure that it's approved by the Virginia Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming section.
Online Esthetician Programs
Online esthetician classes are convenient for Lorton VA students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed through a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty schools are typically fast paced since many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you're not devoting numerous hours away from your home or commuting to and from classes. On the other hand, it's important that the school you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's difficult to obtain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Esthetician Training Courses
Below is a series of questions that you need to research for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Lorton home, in addition to the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's necessary to make certain that the esthetician school you select 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Lorton 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 an Excellent Reputation? Any esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Lorton VA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. Finally, contact the Virginia school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular 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 enroll in a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your objective is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your desire is to launch a Lorton VA beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator as well. Choosing a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty school provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. So try to find alternate schools that offer this kind 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 help in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer help develop relationships with Lorton VA employers that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, 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 regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students too. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you find out what financial assistance may be available.
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Enroll in the Best Lorton Esthetician Training
Choosing and enrolling in the right esthetician school is essential to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the institution and program you choose are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are ready to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Lorton Virginia.