How to Find the Right Esthetician School Near Salem Virginia
Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Salem VA, the task begins to find and enroll in the right program. It's essential that the school you pick not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be a little bit puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Salem home. Tuition will additionally be a critical factor when reviewing possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it's not always the best choice. There are many other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let's talk a little bit about what types 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 (or aestheticians) are skin care specialists who typically work in Salem 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 Courses
Online esthetician programs are convenient for Salem VA students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs available that can be attended through a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are typically fast paced since many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. However, it's imperative that the training program you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it's difficult to gain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Esthetician Schools
Below is a series of questions that you should research for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Salem home, together with the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's necessary to make sure that the esthetician college you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Salem VA employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably 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 outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Salem VA salon owners or managers, or anyone 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 last, check with the Virginia school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Some 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 expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you choose a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your goal 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 Salem VA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct 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 require.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Studying and refining esthetician skills and techniques demands plenty 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 campus that enable students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty program furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. So search for other schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's imperative that he or she gets assistance in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer help develop relationships with Salem VA businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected 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 reviewing have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students as well. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an option before you determine what financial help may be available.
Learn How to Become an Esthetician in Salem
Enroll in the Right Salem Esthetician Program
Finding and enrolling in the right esthetician program is imperative to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to organize all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the institution and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are prepared to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Salem Virginia.
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