How to Choose the Best Esthetician Program Near Lake Stevens Washington
Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Lake Stevens WA, the process starts to search for and enroll in the ideal program. It's important that the program you pick not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be a little bit puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Lake Stevens home. Tuition will additionally be an important consideration when evaluating potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it's not necessarily the ideal option. There are several other qualifications that you should evaluate when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the aesthetician schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let's talk a bit about what kinds of programs are offered.
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Esthetician Certificates and Degrees
There are essentially two pathways available to obtain esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate's degree. Certificate programs usually call for 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate's degree ordinarily takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you prefer to focus on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Lake Stevens WA business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master's degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you decide on, it's imperative to make sure that it's certified by the Washington Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming section.
Online Esthetician Classes
Online esthetician programs are advantageous for Lake Stevens WA students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional beauty schools are often fast paced since many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not spending numerous hours away from your home or commuting to and from classes. However, it's essential that the program you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's impossible to acquire the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Esthetics Training Programs
Following is a series of questions that you need to look into for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Lake Stevens home, as well as the expense of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's necessary to make sure that the esthetician training program you enroll in 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 quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Lake Stevens WA businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. 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. Check rating companies for reviews together with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Lake Stevens WA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. And finally, check with 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 Focus? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you enroll in a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your objective is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your dream is to start a Lake Stevens 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 rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician skills and techniques requires 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 site that make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty program furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. So search for other schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's essential that she or he receives support in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide assistance develop relationships with Lake Stevens WA employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering 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 accessible to students as well. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you determine what financial aid may be available.
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Enroll in the Best Lake Stevens Esthetician Program
Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is imperative to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Make certain to collect all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the institution and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you start with that base, 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 right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Lake Stevens Washington.
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