How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Berthoud CO

How to Enroll In an Esthetician College near Berthoud Colorado

Berthoud CO esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Berthoud CO, the task starts to find and enroll in the best program. It’s imperative that the program you select not only furnishes the necessary instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be rather unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll speak a little bit further concerning that in the following segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Berthoud residence. Tuition will likewise be an important factor when evaluating potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the right option. There are many other factors that you should weigh when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are available.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Berthoud CO Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic can be almost anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you undergo some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Berthoud CO beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles and are employed 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 practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees and Certificates

Berthoud CO esthetician client with face mask There are basically two options offered to obtain esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally call for 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 major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you prefer to focus on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Berthoud CO business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you opt for, it’s essential to make sure that it’s recognized by the Colorado Board of Cosmetology. Many states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next section.

Online Esthetician Schools

woman attending esthetician school online in Berthoud CO Online esthetician classes are advantageous for Berthoud CO students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are often fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you’re not spending numerous hours outside of your home or travelling to and from classes. However, it’s essential that the school you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Degree Programs

Berthoud CO models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Berthoud home, in addition to the expense of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue 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 initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the esthetician training program 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 80513 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Berthoud CO businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Berthoud CO salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And last, contact the Colorado school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for example 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 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 respected for that program. If your vision is to start a Berthoud CO beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.

Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and refining esthetician techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty school provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s essential that he or she receives assistance in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help develop relationships with Berthoud CO businesses that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Almost all esthetician schools provide 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 identify 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 accessible to students too. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not discard it as an alternative before you determine what financial aid may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Berthoud CO?

Perhaps you live in the Berthoud 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.

Berthoud, Colorado

The Town of Berthoud is a Statutory Town in Larimer and Weld counties in the U.S. state of Colorado. The town population was 5,105 at the 2010 United States Census. Berthoud is situated north of the Little Thompson River, approximately halfway between the cities of Fort Collins, Colorado and Denver, Colorado along the Front Range Urban Corridor.

White settlers first came to the present-day Berthoud area in the early 1860s, following the Colorado Gold Rush. Many settlers filed homestead claims, but most bellied up and left the valley to hardier souls who ranched and farmed the arid prairie that straddled the river bottom.

In 1872, a miner-turned-rancher from Central City, Colorado, Lewis Cross, staked the first homestead claim where the Colorado Central Railroad planned to cross Little Thompson creek. When the tracks were laid through the valley in 1877 a depot, section house, and water tank were installed at this strategic site. The tiny settlement known as Little Thompson was renamed Berthoud in honor of Edward L. Berthoud, who had surveyed the rail route through the valley.

Find the Right Esthetics Program near Berthoud CO

Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician college is imperative to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Make certain to collect all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, 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 exam, you will be self-assured that you are ready to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Berthoud CO.