How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Mountain View CA

How to Select an Esthetics Training Program near Mountain View California

Mountain View CA esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Mountain View CA, the task begins to search for and enroll in the right program. It’s important that the school you choose not only furnishes the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be rather unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a bit more about that in the following segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Mountain View residence. Tuition will additionally be a critical aspect when assessing potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the ideal option. There are a number of other qualifications that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are available.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Mountain View CA Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic can be almost anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you take some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Mountain View CA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a clientele, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own residences or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many names and are employed in a wide range of specializations including:

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

As formerly mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

Mountain View CA esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two pathways available to obtain esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically call for 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you prefer to specialize in just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Mountain View CA business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you go with, it’s important to make sure that it’s approved by the California Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the following segment.

Online Esthetics Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Mountain View CA Online esthetician programs are accommodating for Mountain View CA students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based beauty school programs offered that can be accessed through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are often fast paced since many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not spending numerous hours away from your home or commuting to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the school you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills necessary 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 available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Schools

Mountain View CA models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you will want to research for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Mountain View residence, together with the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the esthetician college you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 94035 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Mountain View 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 a Great Reputation? Every esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. 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, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Check rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Mountain View CA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And last, contact the California school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of 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 instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you enroll in a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your dream is to start a Mountain View CA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.

Is Enough Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty program provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s imperative that he or she receives aid in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develop relationships with Mountain View CA businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students as well. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not drop it as an option before you learn what financial aid may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Mountain View CA?

Perhaps you live in the Mountain View 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.

Mountain View, California

Mountain View is a city located in Santa Clara County, California[9], United States, named for its views of the Santa Cruz Mountains.[10] From its origins as a stagecoach stop, it grew to a large suburb with a pedestrian-friendly downtown and a population of 74,066.[11] The city borders Palo Alto and the San Francisco Bay to the north, Los Altos to the south, and Moffett Federal Airfield and Sunnyvale to the east.

Situated in the southern end of the Peninsula in the San Francisco Bay Area, in the northwest corner of Santa Clara county, Mountain View is home to many high technology companies. In 1956, Shockley Semiconductor Laboratory, the first company to develop silicon semiconductor devices in what came to be known as Silicon Valley, was established in the city by William Shockley. Today, many of the largest technology companies in the world are headquartered in the city, including Google, Mozilla Foundation, Symantec, and Intuit. The original Byte Shop computer store was opened at 1063 El Camino Real, Mountain View, by Paul Terrell, and the first 50 Apple I computers were sold from that location. The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority integrates the city with the neighboring cities of Palo Alto, Los Altos, and Sunnyvale.

The Mexican land grant of Rancho Pastoria de las Borregas was given in 1842 by Alta California Governor Juan Alvarado to Francisco Estrada. This grant was later passed on to Mariano Castro, who sold half of the land to Martin Murphy, Jr. Eventually, the former land grant became the cities of Mountain View and Sunnyvale.

Enroll in the Right Esthetician Vocational School near Mountain View CA

Picking and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is important to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you choose are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are ready to start your career as a professional esthetician in Mountain View CA.