How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Canterbury CT

How to Choose an Esthetics College near Canterbury Connecticut

Canterbury CT esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Canterbury CT, the task begins to locate and enroll in the ideal program. It’s essential that the school you select not only provides the necessary education for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you might be a little bit puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a little bit further concerning that in the upcoming segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Canterbury residence. Tuition will also be an important aspect when assessing possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the best choice. There are many other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over 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 types of training programs are offered.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Canterbury CT Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more attractive through the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you go through some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Canterbury CT beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional names and work in a wide variety of specializations including:

Estheticians
Hairdressers
Hairstylists
Beauticians
Barbers
Manicurists
Nail Technicians
Makeup Artists
Hair Coloring Specialists
Electrolysis Technicians

As previously stated, in the majority of states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetics Certificates and Degrees

Canterbury CT esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two pathways offered to get 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 normally require 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree ordinarily takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you wish to focus on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also probably include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Canterbury CT business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you choose, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s approved by the Connecticut Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming section.

Online Esthetics Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Canterbury CT Online esthetician programs are convenient for Canterbury CT students who are working full time and have family commitments that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs available that can be accessed through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are often fast paced given that many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it’s imperative that the program you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Training Classes

Canterbury CT models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Canterbury home, as well as the cost of tuition, will probably 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 narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the esthetician school you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in 06331 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Canterbury CT employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any 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 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 demanded. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Canterbury CT salon owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. And finally, contact the Connecticut school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints 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, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you choose 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 respected for that program. If your dream is to open a Canterbury CT beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.

Is Enough Live Training Provided? Practicing and mastering esthetician skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty academy furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on using mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s essential that he or she gets aid in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid develop relationships with Canterbury CT employers that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have extensive 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 reviewing have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students too. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an option before you learn what financial assistance may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Canterbury CT?

Perhaps you live in the Canterbury Connecticut 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.

Canterbury, Connecticut

The area was first settled in the 1680s as Peagscomsuck, consisting mainly of land north of Norwich, south of New Roxbury, Massachusetts (now Woodstock, Connecticut) and west of the Quinebaug River, Peagscomsuck Island and the Plainfield Settlement.[2] In 1703 it was officially separated from Plainfield and named The Town of Canterbury.[1][3] The town's name is a transfer from Canterbury, in England.[4]

In 1832, Prudence Crandall, a schoolteacher raised as a Quaker, stirred controversy when she opened a school for black girls in town. The Connecticut General Assembly passed the "Black Law" which prohibited the education of black children from out of state, but Crandall persisted in teaching, and was briefly jailed in 1832. Mobs forced the closure of the school in 1834, and Crandall married the Reverend Calvin Philleo that same year and moved to Illinois. Connecticut repealed the Black Law in 1838, and later recognized Crandall with a small pension in 1886, four years before her death. In 1995, the Connecticut General Assembly designated Prudence Crandall as the state's official heroine because she opened the first Academy for young black women. The school still stands in Canterbury, and currently serves as the Prudence Crandall Museum and is a National Historic Landmark.[5][6] In 2009 a life-size bronze statue of Prudence Crandall with one of her African American students was installed in the state capital.[7]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 40.2 square miles (104 km2), of which, 39.9 square miles (103 km2) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.52 km2) of it (0.62%) is water.

Pick the Right Esthetics Vocational School near Canterbury CT

Finding and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is imperative to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to consolidate all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you select are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Canterbury CT.