How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools San Clemente CA

How to Select an Esthetics Training Program near San Clemente California

San Clemente CA esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near San Clemente CA, the process begins to locate and enroll in the best program. It’s essential that the school you pick not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you may be rather unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll speak a little bit further about that in the following segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your San Clemente home. Tuition will additionally be a critical aspect when assessing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the ideal option. There are many other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are offered.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners San Clemente CA Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you take some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only San Clemente CA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a customer base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles and work in a wide variety of specialties including:

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

As formerly stated, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees

San Clemente CA esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two pathways available to get esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally require 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree ordinarily 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 available if you prefer to focus on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also most likely incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other San Clemente CA business. Higher 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 recognized by the California Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming segment.

Online Esthetics Training

woman attending esthetician school online in San Clemente CA Online esthetician schools are convenient for San Clemente CA students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are typically fast paced because 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 volume of material, but you’re not devoting many hours away from your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the program you pick can provide internship training in area 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 difficult to obtain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Training Programs

San Clemente CA models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a list of questions that you will want to research for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your San Clemente home, together with the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options 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 some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the esthetician training program you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 92672 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of San Clemente CA 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? Any esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. 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 sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with San Clemente CA 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 suggest others that you had not considered. And last, consult the California school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you pick 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 aspiration is to launch a San Clemente CA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and refining esthetician skills and techniques requires lots of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty academy furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for developing your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s important that she or he receives assistance in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide assistance maintain relationships with San Clemente CA employers that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Almost all esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may 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 cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you find out what financial aid may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near San Clemente CA?

Perhaps you live in the San Clemente 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.

San Clemente, California

San Clemente is a city in Orange County, California, United States. The population was 63,522 at the 2010 census. Located on the California Coast, midway between Los Angeles and San Diego, the southernmost city of Orange County is known for its ocean, hill, and mountain views, a pleasant climate and its Spanish colonial-style architecture. San Clemente's city slogan is "Spanish Village by the Sea". The official city flower is the bougainvillea, and the official city tree is the coral.

Prior to colonization by Spaniards, the area was inhabited by the Juaneño people. It remained virtually uninhabited until 1776, when Mission San Juan Capistrano was established by Father Junipero Serra, which led both Indians and Spanish settlers to establish villages nearby. After the founding of Mission San Juan Capistrano, local natives were conscripted to work for the mission.

Property rights to the land exchanged hands several times, but few ventured to build on it until 1925, when former Mayor of Seattle, Ole Hanson, an out-of-town major land developer, purchased and designed a 2,000-acre (8.1 km2) community with the financial help of a syndicate headed by Hamilton Cotton. Hanson believed the area's pleasant climate, beautiful beaches, and fertile soil would serve as a haven to Californians tired of "the big city." He named the city after San Clemente Island, which in turn was named by the explorer Sebastián Vizcaino in 1602 after Saint Clement. Hanson envisioned it as a Mediterranean-style coastal resort town, his "San Clemente by the Sea." He had a clause added to the deeds requiring all building plans to be submitted to an architectural review board in an effort to ensure future development would retain red tile roofs and white exteriors. This proved to be short-lived; an eclectic mix of building styles is found in the oldest parts of town.

Pick the Right Esthetician Program near San Clemente CA

Choosing and enrolling in the right esthetician program is imperative to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to organize 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 compare schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you pick are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are prepared to start your career as a professional esthetician in San Clemente CA.