How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools San Luis Obispo CA

How to Choose an Esthetics Course near San Luis Obispo California

San Luis Obispo CA esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near San Luis Obispo CA, the task begins to locate and enroll in the ideal program. It’s imperative that the school you choose not only furnishes the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be a little bit confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll speak a little bit further about that in the next segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your San Luis Obispo home. Tuition will also be an important consideration when evaluating potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the right choice. There are several other considerations that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are available.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners San Luis Obispo CA Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you take some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only San Luis Obispo CA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many professional names and work in a wide range of specializations including:

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

As earlier stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetics Certificates and Degrees

San Luis Obispo CA esthetician client with face mask There are primarily 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 normally require 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you want to concentrate on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other San Luis Obispo CA business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you opt for, it’s important to make sure that it’s certified by the California Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next segment.

Online Esthetics Courses

woman attending esthetician school online in San Luis Obispo CA Online esthetician schools are accommodating for San Luis Obispo CA students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are often fast paced because many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting many hours away from your home or commuting to and from classes. However, it’s important that the program you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Training Courses

San Luis Obispo CA models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you should look into for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your San Luis Obispo home, as well as the cost of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the esthetician school you choose 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 measure up to 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 obtainable in 93401 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many San Luis Obispo CA businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with San Luis Obispo CA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. Finally, check with the California school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden 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 vision is to launch a San Luis Obispo CA beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.

Is Enough Live Training Provided? Studying and mastering esthetician skills and techniques demands lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty academy furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the best option for cultivating your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s imperative that he or she gets aid in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide assistance develop relationships with San Luis Obispo CA businesses that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, 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 respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Many 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. 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 as well. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not discard it as an alternative before you determine what financial assistance may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near San Luis Obispo CA?

Perhaps you live in the San Luis Obispo 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 Luis Obispo, California

San Luis Obispo (/sæn ˌluːɪs əˈbɪspoʊ/;[9]Spanish for "St. Louis, Bishop [of Toulouse]", pronounced [san ˈlwis oˈβispo]), or SLO (/sloʊ/) for short, is a city in the U.S. state of California, located roughly midway between Los Angeles and San Francisco on the Central Coast. The population was 45,119 at the 2010 census.[10] The population of San Luis Obispo County was 269,637 in 2010.

Founded in 1772 by Spanish Franciscan Junípero Serra, San Luis Obispo is one of California's oldest communities. Serra's original mission was named after the 13th-century saint and bishop Louis of Toulouse. The city, locally referred to as San Luis, SLO, or SLO Town (as its county is also referred to as SLO) is the county seat of San Luis Obispo County and is adjacent to California Polytechnic State University.

The earliest human inhabitants of the local area were the Chumash people. One of the earliest villages lies south of San Luis Obispo and reflects the landscape of the early Holocene when estuaries came farther inland. The Chumash people used marine resources of the inlets and bays along the Central Coast and inhabited a network of villages, including sites at Los Osos and Morro Creek.[11]

Pick the Right Esthetics Program near San Luis Obispo CA

Choosing and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is essential to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Make certain to organize all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you select are accredited and have outstanding 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 proper choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are prepared to launch your career as a professional esthetician in San Luis Obispo CA.