How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Stanford CA

How to Select an Esthetician Training Program near Stanford California

Stanford CA esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Stanford CA, the task begins to search for and enroll in the ideal program. It’s imperative that the program you select not only furnishes the appropriate training for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you might be rather confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a little bit more concerning that in the upcoming segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Stanford home. Tuition will additionally be a critical consideration when reviewing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the ideal option. There are many other factors that you should weigh when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are offered.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Stanford CA Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be almost anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you go through some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Stanford CA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a client base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by 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 certain states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees and Certificates

Stanford CA esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two pathways offered to receive 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 typically call for 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you want to focus on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Stanford CA business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you decide on, it’s essential to make sure that it’s recognized by the California Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following section.

Online Esthetician Programs

woman attending esthetician school online in Stanford CA Online esthetician classes are accommodating for Stanford CA students who are working full time and have family commitments that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are frequently fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you’re not devoting many hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the school you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Programs

Stanford CA models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you should investigate for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Stanford home, in addition to the price 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 choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the esthetician training program 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 meet their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 94305 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Stanford CA employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those 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 profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Stanford CA salon owners or managers, or someone 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 thought of. And last, contact 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? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you decide on 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 aspiration is to start a Stanford CA beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty program provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for other schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s essential that he or she gets assistance in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide aid develop relationships with Stanford CA employers that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Almost all esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students also. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not discard it as an option until you find out what financial help may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Stanford CA?

Perhaps you live in the Stanford 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.

Stanford, California

Stanford is a census-designated place (CDP) in Santa Clara County, California, United States and is the home of Stanford University. The population was 13,809 at the 2010 census, with a daily population of 35,000.[3]

Stanford is an unincorporated area of Santa Clara County and is adjacent to the city of Palo Alto. Stanford, California is a valid postal address, and has its own post office and ZIP Codes: 94305 (campus buildings) and 94309 (post-office boxes). A popular landmark is the Dish.

Most of the Stanford University campus and other core University owned land is situated within the census-designated place of Stanford though the Stanford University Medical Center, the Stanford Shopping Center, and the Stanford Research Park are officially part of the city of Palo Alto. Its resident population consists of the inhabitants of on-campus housing, including graduate student residences and single-family homes and condominium owned by their faculty inhabitants but located on leased Stanford land. A residential neighborhood adjacent to the Stanford campus, College Terrace, featuring streets named after universities and colleges, including Cambridge, Oxford, Harvard and Princeton, is neither part of the Stanford CDP nor owned by the University but is part of Palo Alto.

Pick the Right Esthetics Program near Stanford CA

Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician program is essential to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to compile all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you choose are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. 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. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Stanford CA.