How to Enroll In the Right Esthetician Training Near Fairmont West Virginia
Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Fairmont WV, the task starts to search for and enroll in the ideal program. It's imperative that the school you select not only provides the necessary training for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be a little bit unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Fairmont home. Tuition will likewise be a critical aspect when reviewing possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it's not always the best option. There are various other factors that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review 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 types of programs 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 provide a wide range of beauty services to help their Fairmont West Virginia clients look and feel better. This includes improving the quality of the skin (including the treatment of skin disorders), hair removal, permanent makeup application, and facial massage. Some types of estheticians, like medical estheticians, provide highly specialized procedures that require detailed training in order for it to be done safely and effectively. Medical estheticians can help individuals suffering from serious skin disorders, burns, and other trauma, and to help with pre and post-operative surgery affecting the health of their skin. Estheticians work closely with their clients in a friendly and positive manner, so an enthusiastic attitude and desire to help people is an excellent attribute for an aspiring esthetician to possess. Some of the basic duties an esthetician may perform will include such tasks as:
- Assessing a patient’s needs
- Chemical peels
- Laser treatments
- Waxing
- Facials
- Massage of the head and neck
- Microdermabrasion
Online Esthetics Training
Online esthetician schools are accommodating for Fairmont WV students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed through a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional beauty schools are typically fast paced since many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you're not spending many hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's imperative that the program you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's impossible to gain the skills necessary to work in any facet 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.
Questions to Ask Aesthetician Programs
Following is a series of questions that you should look into for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Fairmont residence, in addition to the expense of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish 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 additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's essential to make certain 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for obtaining 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 final benefit, numerous Fairmont WV businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Fairmont WV salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And finally, consult the West Virginia 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 Focus? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative 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 desire is to launch a Fairmont WV beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator as well. Selecting a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Practicing and mastering esthetician skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty academy provides little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for other schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's essential that he or she gets assistance in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with Fairmont WV businesses that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Almost all esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and learn 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 offered to students also. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not omit it as an option until you learn what financial aid may be available.
Learn How to Become an Esthetician in Fairmont
Enroll in the Best Fairmont Esthetician Course
Locating and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is important to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Don't forget to consolidate all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the institution and program you decide on are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Fairmont West Virginia.
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