How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Aspen CO

How to Enroll In an Esthetician College near Aspen Colorado

Aspen CO esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Aspen CO, the task starts to find and enroll in the right program. It’s essential that the school you choose not only provides the necessary instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might 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 kind of school. We’ll discuss a little bit further about that in the next segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Aspen residence. Tuition will also be a critical factor when evaluating prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the ideal choice. There are various other qualifications that you should evaluate when comparing 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 training programs are offered.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Aspen CO Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you go through some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Aspen CO beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a client base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own residences or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many titles 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 already stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees

Aspen CO esthetician client with face mask There are basically two options offered to receive esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally take 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 all of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Aspen CO business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you choose, it’s important to make certain that it’s approved by the Colorado Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next section.

Online Esthetics Programs

woman attending esthetician school online in Aspen CO Online esthetician schools are advantageous for Aspen CO students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of online beauty school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are often fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not spending numerous hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it’s important that the school you choose 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 portion of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Degree Programs

Aspen CO models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you should research for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Aspen residence, together with the price of tuition, will most likely 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 reduced 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. Following we have collected some of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the esthetician school you enroll in 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 81611 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Aspen CO employers will not hire 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 school that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Aspen CO salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. Finally, check with the Colorado school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of 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 frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you enroll in a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your ambition 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 desire is to start a Aspen CO beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty academy furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on using mannequins, it may not be the best option for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for other schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s imperative that she or he receives aid in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with Aspen CO employers that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out 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 Available? Many esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students too. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not discard it as an alternative before you find out what financial assistance may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Aspen CO?

Perhaps you live in the Aspen Colorado 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.

Aspen, Colorado

Aspen is the home rule municipality that is the county seat and the most populous municipality of Pitkin County, Colorado, United States.[3][4] Its population was 6,658 at the 2010 United States Census. Aspen is in a remote area of the Rocky Mountains' Sawatch Range and Elk Mountains, along the Roaring Fork River at an elevation just below 8,000 feet (2,400 m) above sea level on the Western Slope, 11 miles (18 km) west of the Continental Divide.

Founded as a mining camp during the Colorado Silver Boom and later named "Aspen" because of the abundance of aspen trees in the area, the city boomed during the 1880s, its first decade of existence. The boom ended when the Panic of 1893 led to a collapse in the silver market, and the city began a half-century known as "the quiet years" during which its population steadily declined, reaching a nadir of fewer than a thousand by 1930. Aspen's fortunes reversed in the mid-20th century when neighboring Aspen Mountain was developed into a ski resort, and industrialist Walter Paepcke bought many properties in the city and redeveloped them. Today it is home to three institutions, two of which Paepcke helped found, that have international importance: the Aspen Music Festival and School, the Aspen Institute, and the Aspen Center for Physics.[5]

In the late-20th century, the city became a popular retreat for celebrities. Gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson worked out of a downtown hotel and ran unsuccessfully for county sheriff. Singer John Denver wrote two songs about Aspen after settling there. Both of them popularized Aspen among the counter-cultural youth of the 1970s as an ideal place to live, and the city continued to grow even as it gained notoriety for some of the era's hedonistic excesses (particularly its drug culture).[citation needed]

Enroll in the Right Esthetics School near Aspen CO

Picking and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is important to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to collect all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the institution and program you choose are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are prepared to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Aspen CO.