How to Enroll In the Right Esthetician Program Near Seattle Washington

Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Seattle WA, the process starts to locate and enroll in the best program. It's important that the program you pick not only provides the appropriate training for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you may be a little bit unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Seattle home. Tuition will likewise be an important factor when evaluating potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it's not necessarily the ideal choice. There are several other considerations that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the aesthetician schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let's talk a little bit about what types of courses are offered.

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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 Seattle 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 Esthetician Schools

Online esthetician schools are advantageous for Seattle WA students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online beauty school programs offered that can be attended by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty programs are typically fast paced since many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you're not devoting numerous hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's important that the school you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's impossible to obtain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Aesthetician Training Courses

Below is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Seattle residence, together with the cost of tuition, will most likely be your initial 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 even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's essential to make sure that the esthetician college you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Seattle WA businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great 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 endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Seattle WA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And last, check with the Washington school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty?  Some esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you decide on a school that specializes in 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 Seattle WA beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Selecting a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.

Is Enough Live Training Provided?  Studying and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best option for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  When a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's important that she or he receives help in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer help maintain relationships with Seattle WA employers that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are looking at 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 affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available?  Most esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and find out 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 accessible to students too. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not omit it as an alternative before you find out what financial assistance may be available.

Find Out How to Become an Esthetician in Seattle

Enroll in the Right Seattle Esthetician Program

Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician school is important to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Make certain to collect all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the academy and program you select are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Seattle Washington.

 

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