How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools East Haddam CT

How to Choose an Esthetician Training Program near East Haddam Connecticut

East Haddam CT esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near East Haddam CT, the process begins to locate and enroll in the best program. It’s imperative that the program you select not only furnishes the appropriate education for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you may be rather confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a bit more regarding that in the upcoming segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your East Haddam residence. Tuition will also be an important factor when reviewing possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the ideal option. There are various other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over 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 kinds of programs are offered.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners East Haddam CT Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you undergo some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only East Haddam CT beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many names and work in a wide range of specialties including:

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

As formerly mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some 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 become licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees and Certificates

East Haddam CT esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two pathways offered to obtain esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally take 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 instructed in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you want to specialize in just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other East Haddam CT business. More advanced 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 go with, it’s essential to make sure that it’s recognized by the Connecticut Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the next segment.

Online Esthetician Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in East Haddam CT Online esthetician schools are convenient for East Haddam CT students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous online beauty school programs offered that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are typically fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not devoting many hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it’s important that the school you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Degree Programs

East Haddam CT models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you will want to research for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your East Haddam home, as well as the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced 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 program. Following we have compiled some of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the esthetician training program you pick 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 comply with their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 06423 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many East Haddam CT businesses will not hire 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 field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with East Haddam CT salon owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. And last, consult the Connecticut school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of 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 often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you pick a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your objective is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your aspiration is to launch a East Haddam CT beauty salon, then you need 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 need.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty school furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. Therefore search for other schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s important that he or she gets help in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid develop relationships with East Haddam CT businesses that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? The majority of esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students as well. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you find out what financial aid may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near East Haddam CT?

Perhaps you live in the East Haddam 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.

East Haddam, Connecticut

Until 1650, the area of East Haddam was inhabited by at least three tribes of Indians: the Wangunks, the Mohegans and the Nehantics. The Indians called the area "Machimoodus", the place of noises, because of numerous earthquakes that were recorded between 1638 and 1899. Loud rumblings, the "Moodus Noises", could be heard for miles surrounding the epicenter of the quakes near Mt. Tom. The land, which is now Haddam and East Haddam, was purchased by settlers from the natives in 1662 for thirty coats – worth about $100.

Layout of the highways began in 1669 with Creek Row about ¼ mile east of the River and Town Street “The Great Highway” about ¼ mile east of Creek Row. The first permanent settlers established homesteads along Creek Row in 1685. By 1700, there were thirty families living in East Haddam. Agricultural and timber farming, shipbuilding, tanneries and blacksmiths were among the early commerce. Captain John Chapman began ferry service across the Connecticut River in 1695, which ended with the completion of the swing bridge in 1913.

East Haddam was incorporated as a separate town from Haddam in 1734. By 1756, there were nearly 2,000 residents, with the Millington District as the most populated. Growth of commerce brought a surge in population to around 3,000 people by the mid-1800s. In the nineteenth century, Moodus was the “Twine Capital of America,” with twelve mills in operation.[2] Visitors and residents such as actor William Gillette whose castle home was completed in 1914, were drawn to the area known for its rural charm and natural scenery. The growth of the resort areas of Lake Hayward, Bashan Lake and Moodus Reservoir began in the early 1900s and was a booming business for the next fifty years.[3]

Choose the Right Esthetics Program near East Haddam CT

Finding and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is important to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to organize all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are ready to start your career as a professional esthetician in East Haddam CT.