How to Find the Best Esthetician School Near Des Moines Washington
Now that 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 essential that the program you pick not only provides the proper training 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 puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Des Moines home. Tuition will also be a critical consideration when reviewing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it's not necessarily the right choice. There are several other qualifications that you should evaluate when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the aesthetician schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let's discuss a little bit about what kinds of programs are offered.
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Esthetician 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 Esthetics Programs
Online esthetician classes are accommodating for Des Moines WA students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be attended via a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are typically fast paced because many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours away from your home or travelling 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 so that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it's impossible to acquire the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Esthetician Programs
Following is a series of questions that you will want to research for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Des Moines home, in addition to the expense of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's important to make certain that the esthetician school you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which often 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 final benefit, numerous Des Moines WA businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each esthetician institute that you are seriously considering 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. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Des Moines WA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And finally, check with the Washington 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 broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you enroll in a school that focuses on 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 well regarded for that program. If your vision is to launch a Des Moines WA 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 regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty academy offers limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. So try to find alternate schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's crucial that she or he receives aid in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develop relationships with Des Moines WA businesses that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, 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 regarded 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 department. Consult with a counselor and identify 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 available to students as well. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not discard it as an option before you find out what financial aid may be available.
More Info on How to Become an Aesthetician in Des Moines
Enroll in the Right Des Moines Esthetician Course
Choosing and enrolling in the right esthetician program is important to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Don't forget to consolidate all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on 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 school and program you select are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you begin 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 proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Des Moines Washington.
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