How to Find the Best Esthetician Training Near Mercer Island Washington

Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Mercer Island WA, the task starts to locate and enroll in the right program. It's imperative that the program you pick not only provides the proper education for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be a little bit confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles 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 Mercer Island residence. Tuition will also be an important factor when evaluating potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it's not always the ideal choice. There are many other factors that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the aesthetician schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what types of courses are available.

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Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

There are primarily two avenues available to receive esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate's degree. Certificate programs normally take 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 available if you wish to concentrate on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Mercer Island WA business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master's degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you decide on, it's important to make certain that it's approved by the Washington Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the next section.

Online Esthetician Training

Online esthetician programs are convenient for Mercer Island WA students who are employed full-time and have family commitments that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs available that can be attended by means of a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty schools are typically fast paced since many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you're not devoting many hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's essential that the school you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's difficult to gain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Aesthetician Training Courses

Below is a series of questions that you need to research for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Mercer Island residence, in addition to the expense of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want 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 initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's important to make sure that the esthetician school you enroll in 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Mercer Island WA businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation?  Any esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Mercer Island WA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And last, contact the Washington school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty?  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 specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you decide on a school that focuses on 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 aspiration is to start a Mercer Island 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 weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided?  Studying and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty program offers limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best option for cultivating your skills. So try to find alternate schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's essential that she or he receives aid in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with Mercer Island WA employers that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Available?  Almost all esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students too. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not drop it as an option until you find out what financial aid may be offered.

Find Out How to Become an Aesthetician in Mercer Island

Enroll in the Right Mercer Island Esthetician Program

Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is important to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Don't forget to consolidate all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make sure 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 provided in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are ready to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Mercer Island Washington.

 

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