How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Monrovia CA

How to Find the Right Esthetics School near Monrovia California

Monrovia CA esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Monrovia CA, the process begins to search for and enroll in the ideal program. It’s imperative that the school you select not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be rather confused 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 kind of school. We’ll speak a bit further about that in the following segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Monrovia home. Tuition will additionally be a critical aspect when assessing possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the ideal option. There are several other considerations that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are available.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Monrovia CA Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more attractive with the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you undergo some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Monrovia CA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many names and are employed in a wide variety of specializations including:

Estheticians
Hairdressers
Hairstylists
Beauticians
Barbers
Manicurists
Nail Technicians
Makeup Artists
Hair Coloring Specialists
Electrolysis Technicians

As earlier mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetics Certificates and Degrees

Monrovia CA esthetician client with face mask There are basically two options available to get esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically require 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you wish to specialize in just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Monrovia CA business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you choose, it’s essential to make sure that it’s recognized by the California Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next section.

Online Esthetician Courses

woman attending esthetician school online in Monrovia CA Online esthetician classes are advantageous for Monrovia CA students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools are often fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you’re not spending many hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the training program you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Degree Programs

Monrovia CA models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a list of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Monrovia home, together with the price of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary 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 need to ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the esthetician college you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized 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 guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 91016 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Monrovia CA 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? Every esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Monrovia CA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And finally, check with the California school licensing authority to see 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 comprehensive in nature, focusing 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 typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you enroll in a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your goal is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your vision is to start a Monrovia CA beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Studying and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for developing your skills. So try to find other schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s essential that she or he receives help in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance maintain relationships with Monrovia CA businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Almost all esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Consult with 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 too. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an option before you determine what financial aid may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Monrovia CA?

Perhaps you live in the Monrovia California area, or have found a school that you will commute to or even relocate to attend. Either way, following is some interesting background information about the location of your new esthetician program.

Monrovia, California

Monrovia is a city located in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains in the San Gabriel Valley of Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 36,590 at the 2010 census, down from 36,929 in 2000. Monrovia has been used for filming TV shows, movies and commercials.

Monrovia is the fourth oldest general law city in Los Angeles County and the L.A. Basin (after Los Angeles, Santa Monica, and Pasadena, all now charter cities[6]). Incorporated in 1887, Monrovia has grown from a sparse community of orange ranches to a residential community of 37,000.

Around 500 BC, a band of Shoshonean-speaking Indians named the Tongva established settlements in what is now the San Gabriel Valley. They were called the Gabrieliño Indians by early Spanish missionaries, a tribe of Mission Indians. The Tongva were not farmers; they gathered wild seeds, berries, and plants along rivers and in marshlands. Abundant oaks in the Valley, such as Coast Live Oak and Interior Live Oak provided a staple of the Tongva diet: acorn mush made of boiled acorn flour.

Enroll in the Right Esthetics College near Monrovia CA

Locating and enrolling in the right esthetician program is essential to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to consolidate all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you pick are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are ready to start your career as a professional esthetician in Monrovia CA.