How to Enroll In the Best Esthetician School Near Beckley West Virginia
Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Beckley WV, the task begins to find and enroll in the right program. It's imperative that the program you choose not only furnishes the proper instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you might be rather confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Beckley residence. Tuition will also be an important consideration when evaluating prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not necessarily the best choice. There are a number of other factors that you should weigh when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what kinds of programs are available.
It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Esthetician Career Below!
Esthetician Training Programs
An esthetics program may be found in a school of cosmetology, a dedicated esthetics school or, in some cases, a junior college. An esthetics program’s length is generally determined by the state in which it is located, as each state board of cosmetology sets minimum requirements for the number of hours of training an esthetics program must provide to meet the state’s licensing requirements. However, it is also quite common for esthetics programs to offer more extensive study beyond what is required for licensing purposes. In general, an esthetics program consists of about 600 hours, a common requirement in many states. However, a number of states require less than 600 hours and perhaps just as many require more than 600. Most state boards of cosmetology maintain lists of approved programs of esthetics within the state, while others recognize all programs that meet the state’s minimum clock-hour requirement. A comprehensive esthetics program includes instruction not only in esthetic treatment procedures and services, but in areas such as the structure of the skin and its function, disorders of the skin, and professional business skills.
Esthetician Job Description
An esthetician is a professional skin specialist who identifies cosmetic issues (such as wrinkles, pigmentation, or blemishes) and applies treatments to improve their condition. Most estheticians perform skin treatments like facials, superficial chemical peels, body treatments, skin conditioning, and blemish extraction, but they may also do waxing, lash extensions, and makeovers. Estheticians, unlike licensed cosmetologists, are also able to provide advanced treatments like microdermabrasion, chemical peels, light therapy, and hair removal. They may also educate clients on products, skincare regimens, and the benefits of esthetic procedures. Medical estheticians in clinical settings may help people identify and recover from health issues affecting the skin, such as working with cancer patients or burn victims after surgical procedures. Typically an esthetician works with a client in a spa or salon setting. Some estheticians work in a medical setting to complement medical services, such as in a dermatologist’s office, but they are not medical professionals. Estheticians may also work in locations as varied as Beckley West Virginia nursing facilities, luxury resorts, dermatologist offices or hospitals.
Online Esthetician Programs
Online esthetician classes are advantageous for Beckley WV students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities 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 through a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional beauty schools are typically fast paced because many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you're not spending many hours away from your home or commuting to and from classes. On the other hand, it's vital that the training program you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's difficult to acquire the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology field. 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 Aesthetician Training Courses
Below is a series of questions that you will want to look into for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Beckley residence, as well as the expense of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn 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 should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have collected some of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's necessary to make certain that the esthetician college you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged 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 essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable 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 Beckley WV employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. 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, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Beckley WV salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, 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 looked into. And last, check with the West Virginia school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you decide on a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your goal 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 Beckley WV 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 poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques involves lots of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty school offers limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the best option for cultivating your skills. So search for alternate schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's important that she or he receives support in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help develop relationships with Beckley WV employers that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students too. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an option until you learn what financial aid may be offered.
Learn How to Become an Esthetician in Beckley
Enroll in the Right Beckley Esthetician Program
Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is essential to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Don't forget to organize all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the school and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are prepared to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Beckley West Virginia.
Beckley Esthetician Schools Near Me | Beckley Esthetician Programs