How to Find the Right Aesthetician College Near Des Moines Washington
Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Des Moines WA, the process begins to search for and enroll in the ideal program. It's imperative that the program you select not only provides the proper training for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you might be somewhat confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Des Moines home. Tuition will additionally be a critical aspect when evaluating potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it's not necessarily the ideal choice. There are various other qualifications that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the aesthetician schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what types of courses are offered.
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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 provide a wide range of beauty services to help their Des Moines Washington 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 Programs
Online esthetician programs are accommodating for Des Moines WA students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous online beauty school programs available that can be accessed by means of a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced given that many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. On the other hand, it's imperative that the training program you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it's difficult to obtain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So don't forget if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Aesthetician Schools
Following is a list of questions that you will want to look into for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Des Moines home, together with the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have collected some of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's important to make sure that the esthetician training program you pick 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Des Moines WA employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses 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 companies for reviews along with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Des Moines WA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. Finally, check with the Washington school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing 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 pick a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your dream is to launch a Des Moines WA beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Picking a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician skills and techniques requires lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty academy furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. Therefore look for other schools that furnish this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's imperative that she or he receives support in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide help develop relationships with Des Moines WA businesses that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High 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 provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and learn 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 available to students as well. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not drop it as an option before you find out what financial aid may be available.
Learn How to Become an Aesthetician in Des Moines
Enroll in the Right Des Moines Esthetician Program
Locating and enrolling in the right esthetician college is imperative to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to organize all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are ready to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Des Moines Washington.
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