How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Leadville CO

How to Enroll In an Esthetics Course near Leadville Colorado

Leadville CO esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Leadville CO, the process starts to find and enroll in the best program. It’s essential that the program you pick not only furnishes the appropriate training for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you might be somewhat confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a bit further about that in the next section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Leadville residence. Tuition will likewise be an important aspect when assessing potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the best option. There are a number of other considerations that you should weigh when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding 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 types of programs are offered.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Leadville CO Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more attractive through the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really 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 require that you take some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Leadville CO beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a client base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional 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 already mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

Leadville CO esthetician client with face mask There are basically two pathways available to get esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally 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 each of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, for example 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 Leadville CO business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you decide on, it’s important to make sure that it’s certified by the Colorado Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming section.

Online Esthetician Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Leadville CO Online esthetician classes are advantageous for Leadville CO students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are typically fast paced given that many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not devoting many hours away from your home or commuting to and from classes. However, it’s vital that the program you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Training Programs

Leadville CO models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a list of questions that you should look into for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Leadville home, as well as the expense of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have collected several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the esthetician training program you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 80461 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Leadville CO businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Check rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Leadville CO salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. And finally, check with 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 Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically 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 ambition 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 dream is to launch a Leadville CO beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.

Is Any Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty program provides little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on using mannequins, it may not be the best option for cultivating your skills. So try to find other schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s essential that she or he receives aid in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance maintain relationships with Leadville CO employers that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? The majority of esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and find out 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 meets each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not omit it as an alternative until you determine what financial assistance may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Leadville CO?

Perhaps you live in the Leadville 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.

Leadville, Colorado

Leadville is the statutory city that is the county seat and only incorporated municipality in Lake County, Colorado, United States.[7] The city population was 2,602 at the 2010 United States Census. Situated at an elevation of 10,152 feet (3,094 m), Leadville is the highest incorporated city and the second highest incorporated municipality in the United States. A former silver mining town that lies near the headwaters of the Arkansas River in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, the Leadville Historic District contains many historic structures and sites from its dynamic mining era. In the late 19th century, Leadville was the second most populous city in Colorado, after Denver.

The Leadville area was first settled in 1859 when placer gold was discovered in California Gulch during the Pikes Peak Gold Rush.[8] By 1860, a town, Oro City ("oro" is the Spanish word for gold), located about a mile from present-day Leadville, had sprung up and a year later its population had reached more than 5,000. But the boom was brief because the placer-mined gold soon ran out and Oro City never became a major settlement.

The early miners had noted that mining for placer gold was hampered by heavy black sand in the sluice boxes, and in 1874 it was discovered that the heavy sand that impeded gold recovery was the lead mineral cerussite, which has a high silver content. Prospectors traced the cerussite to its source, present day Leadville, and by 1876 had discovered several silver-lead lode deposits.[8][9]

Choose the Right Esthetician College near Leadville CO

Choosing and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is imperative to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Don’t forget to compile all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A good start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the institution and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are qualified to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Leadville CO.