How to Select the Right Esthetician Training Program Near Springfield Virginia

Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Springfield VA, the task begins to search for and enroll in the right program. It's essential that the program you select not only provides the necessary training for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be a little bit puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are basically 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 Springfield home. Tuition will additionally be a critical factor when reviewing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it's not always the best option. There are several other considerations that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let's talk a little bit about what kinds 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 provide a wide range of beauty services to help their Springfield 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 Classes

Online esthetician schools are advantageous for Springfield VA students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed through a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty programs are often fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. On the other hand, it's essential that the program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's impossible to gain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Degree Programs

Following is a series of questions that you need to look into for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Springfield residence, in addition to the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's important to make certain that the esthetician college you pick 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 meet their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Springfield VA businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation?  Any esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Springfield VA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. And last, contact the Virginia school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed 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 typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you pick a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your ambition 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 open a Springfield VA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Selecting a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.

Is Any Live Training Provided?  Practicing and refining esthetician techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus 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 heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for developing your skills. So look for alternate schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  Once a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's essential that she or he receives support in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance maintain relationships with Springfield VA employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered?  Almost all esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and identify 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 also. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an alternative until you find out what financial assistance may be offered.

Learn How to Become an Esthetician in Springfield

Enroll in the Right Springfield Esthetician Training

Finding and enrolling in the right esthetician school is essential to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Make certain to compile all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the institution and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and answer 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. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Springfield Virginia.

 

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