How to Pick the Right Esthetician College Near Charleston West Virginia
Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Charleston WV, the process begins to find and enroll in the best program. It's imperative that the school you select not only furnishes the necessary instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial 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 essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Charleston residence. Tuition will also be an important aspect when assessing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it's not always the right choice. There are a number of other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the aesthetician schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let's discuss a little bit about what types of courses are offered.
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Esthetics 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 (or aestheticians) are skin care specialists who typically work in Charleston West Virginia 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 Esthetics Classes
Online esthetician programs are advantageous for Charleston WV 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 accessed by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty schools are often 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 online courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not spending numerous hours outside of your home or commuting to and from classes. On the other hand, it's essential that the training program you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's difficult to acquire the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Esthetician Training Classes
Below is a list of questions that you need to look into for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Charleston residence, together with the expense of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's necessary to make sure that the esthetician college you select 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 comply with their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered 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 Charleston WV employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. 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, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Charleston WV salon owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. Finally, check with the West Virginia school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you choose a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your ambition 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 open a Charleston WV beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Choosing a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty academy offers limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's essential that she or he receives help in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance maintain relationships with Charleston WV employers that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, 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 Aid Available? Many 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. 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 available to students too. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not drop it as an option before you find out what financial help may be available.
Find Out How to Become an Aesthetician in Charleston
Enroll in the Best Charleston Esthetician Training
Choosing and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is essential to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Make certain to consolidate all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the institution and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you begin 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 selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Charleston West Virginia.
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