How to Find the Best Aesthetician College Near Bellevue Washington

Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Bellevue WA, the process begins to locate and enroll in the ideal program. It's imperative that the program you select not only provides the proper education for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be a little bit confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Bellevue home. Tuition will also be an important factor when reviewing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it's not automatically the right choice. There are various other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what kinds of programs are available.

It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Esthetician Career Below!

Esthetics 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 Bellevue Washington 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 Training

Online esthetician classes are advantageous for Bellevue WA students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs available that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you're not spending numerous hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's important that the training 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 part of the training, it's impossible to obtain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So don't forget if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Aesthetician Training Programs

Below is a list of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Bellevue residence, in addition to the cost of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn 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 additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's necessary to make sure that the esthetician school you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized 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 guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Bellevue WA employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation?  Each esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Bellevue WA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. Finally, consult the Washington school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty?  Many esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you decide on a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your vision is to open a Bellevue WA 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 ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Enough Live Training Provided?  Practicing and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty program provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. Therefore search for other schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  Once a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's crucial that he or she receives support in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid maintain relationships with Bellevue WA businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available?  The majority of esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and learn 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 offered to students also. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an option before you learn what financial help may be provided.

More Info on How to Become an Aesthetician in Bellevue

Enroll in the Best Bellevue Esthetician Course

Locating and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is important to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A sensible 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 field. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Bellevue Washington.

 

Bellevue Esthetician Schools Online | Bellevue Esthetician Programs Near Me