How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Edwards CO

How to Find the Right Esthetician Program near Edwards Colorado

Edwards CO esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Edwards CO, the task starts to find and enroll in the right program. It’s essential that the program you choose not only furnishes the proper training for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you might 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 kind of school. We’ll speak a little bit further about that in the next section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Edwards residence. Tuition will also be a critical factor when evaluating potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the ideal choice. There are various other factors that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Edwards CO Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful through the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic can be almost 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 go through some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Edwards CO beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places 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 seeing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many professional names 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 most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees

Edwards CO esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two pathways offered to get 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 normally 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 main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you wish to specialize in just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also most likely incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Edwards CO business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you decide on, it’s essential to make sure that it’s approved by the Colorado Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following segment.

Online Esthetician Training

woman attending esthetician school online in Edwards CO Online esthetician classes are accommodating for Edwards CO students who are working full-time and have family commitments that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs available that can be attended by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are typically fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not devoting many hours away from your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the training program you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. 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 Training Classes

Edwards CO models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you should investigate for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Edwards residence, as well as the cost of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the esthetician school you select 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in 81632 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Edwards CO businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every esthetician institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses 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 services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Edwards CO salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And finally, check with the Colorado school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in total 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 often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you select a school that focuses on 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 desire is to start a Edwards CO beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Practicing and mastering esthetician skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty program furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. So try to find other schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s important that he or she gets help in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer aid maintain relationships with Edwards CO employers that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are contemplating 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? Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and learn 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 each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an option until you learn what financial assistance may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Edwards CO?

Perhaps you live in the Edwards 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.

Edwards, Colorado

Edwards is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Eagle County, Colorado, United States. Edwards is the principal community of the Edwards Micropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 10,266 at the 2010 census,[3][4] up from 8,257 at the 2000 census. The Edwards Post Office has the ZIP code 81632.[2]

Edwards is located in central Eagle County at 39°38′25″N 106°35′32″W / 39.64028°N 106.59222°W / 39.64028; -106.59222 (39.640178, −106.592325).[7] It is in the valley of the Eagle River and extends southwards up the valleys of Lake Creek and Squaw Creek, at the north end of the Sawatch Range. It is bordered to the east by the town of Avon. U.S. Route 6 runs through the center of Edwards on the south side of the Eagle River, while Interstate 70 runs through the CDP north of the river, with access from Exit 163. Via I-70, it is 14 miles (23 km) east to Vail, 110 miles (180 km) east to Denver, 17 miles (27 km) west to Eagle, and 47 miles (76 km) west to Glenwood Springs.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the Edwards CDP has a total area of 26.8 square miles (69.4 km2), of which 26.6 square miles (69.0 km2) is land and 0.15 square miles (0.4 km2), or 0.57%, is water.[8]

Choose the Right Esthetics Vocational School near Edwards CO

Locating and enrolling in the right esthetician college is essential to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Don’t forget to organize all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are ready to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Edwards CO.