How to Enroll In the Best Aesthetician Training Near Wheeling West Virginia

Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Wheeling WV, the task begins to find and enroll in the right program. It's important that the school you select not only furnishes the necessary education for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies 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 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 Wheeling home. Tuition will likewise be a critical factor when evaluating prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it's not automatically the ideal choice. There are many other factors that you should evaluate 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 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 Wheeling 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 Esthetician Courses

Online esthetician programs are advantageous for Wheeling WV students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed via a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are often fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you're not spending many hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's imperative that the school you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it's difficult to gain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. 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 Classes

Below is a list of questions that you will want to look into for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Wheeling residence, in addition to the cost 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 reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled some of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's important to make sure 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 meet their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Wheeling WV employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation?  Each esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Wheeling WV salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. Finally, consult the West Virginia school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty?  Some esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you choose 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 dream is to start a Wheeling WV beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator as well. Picking a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Enough Live Training Provided?  Learning and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school offers limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for developing your skills. So look for other schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's essential that he or she gets help in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develop relationships with Wheeling WV businesses that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have extensive 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. Ask if the schools you are looking at 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 available to students also. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an option until you determine what financial aid may be offered.

Find Out How to Become an Esthetician in Wheeling

Enroll in the Best Wheeling Esthetician Training

Choosing and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is imperative to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Don't forget to collect all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, 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 ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are prepared to start your career as a professional esthetician in Wheeling West Virginia.

 

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