How to Select the Best Aesthetician School Near Montclair Virginia

Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Montclair VA, the task begins to locate and enroll in the best program. It's important that the school you select not only provides the necessary training for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be rather puzzled about the distinction 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 find a school that is within driving distance of your Montclair residence. Tuition will additionally be an important consideration when assessing potential schools. Just bear in mind 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 reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let's talk a little 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 Montclair 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 programs are advantageous for Montclair VA students who are working full time and have family commitments that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty programs are typically fast paced given that many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you're not spending many hours away from your home or driving to and from classes. On the other hand, it's important that the program you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's difficult to acquire the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Aesthetician Training Programs

Following is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Montclair residence, as well as the expense of tuition, will probably be your primary 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 initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's necessary to make sure that the esthetician training program you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national organization, 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 superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Montclair VA employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation?  Each esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Montclair VA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And finally, check with the Virginia school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty?  A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you select a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your goal is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your aspiration is to open a Montclair 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 regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Enough Live Training Provided?  Studying and refining esthetician skills and techniques requires lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty program furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. So try to find other schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's essential that he or she receives assistance in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide aid maintain relationships with Montclair VA employers that are looking for skilled 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. Higher rates not only verify that they have extensive 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 investigating have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students as well. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an alternative before you determine what financial aid may be offered.

Learn How to Become an Esthetician in Montclair

Enroll in the Best Montclair Esthetician Training

Locating and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is important to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to collect all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are ready to start your career as a professional esthetician in Montclair Virginia.

 

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