How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Guilford CT

How to Select an Esthetics School near Guilford Connecticut

Guilford CT esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Guilford CT, the task starts to locate and enroll in the best program. It’s imperative that the program you select not only furnishes the necessary training for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be a little bit puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a little bit further about that in the next segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Guilford home. Tuition will likewise be a critical consideration when assessing potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the ideal choice. There are several other factors that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within 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 Guilford CT Cosmetology is an occupation that is all 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. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be almost anything that enhances 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 settings include not only Guilford 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 residences or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many 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 earlier stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those offering 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.

Esthetician Degrees

Guilford CT esthetician client with face mask There are basically two pathways available to obtain esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally require 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you wish to focus on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Guilford CT 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 training program you go with, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s recognized by the Connecticut Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the following section.

Online Esthetician Courses

woman attending esthetician school online in Guilford CT Online esthetician schools are accommodating for Guilford CT students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online beauty school programs available that can be attended through a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are frequently fast paced because many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not spending many hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the program you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Programs

Guilford CT models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a list of questions that you should research for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Guilford residence, together with the expense of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt 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 program. Following we have compiled some of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the esthetician school you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 06437 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Guilford CT employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Guilford CT salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. And last, check with the Connecticut school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you enroll in a school that specializes in 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 respected for that program. If your vision is to launch a Guilford CT beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities 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 site that allow students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy offers little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for cultivating 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 program, it’s crucial that she or he receives help in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide assistance develop relationships with Guilford CT employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Many esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and learn 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 available to students too. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an option before you find out what financial aid may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Guilford CT?

Perhaps you live in the Guilford 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.

Guilford, Connecticut

Guilford is an affluent coastal town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States, that borders Madison, Branford, North Branford and Durham, and is situated on I-95 and the Connecticut seacoast. The population was 22,375 at the 2010 census. In 2015 the population stands at approximately 22,413 people. It was named one of the top 100 places to live in the United States by Money magazine in 2005.[3]

Guilford was named after the town of Guildford, in England,[4] the native home of a share of its first settlers.[5] In early maps of the Connecticut Colony, the town is seen on several maps as Gilford.

First settled by Europeans in 1639 after being purchased from Native American leader Wequash, Guilford is considered by some to have the third largest collection of historic homes in New England, with important buildings from the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries.[6] There are five historic house museums, including Dudley Farm and the Henry Whitfield House (1639), the oldest dwelling house in Connecticut and the oldest stone house in North America. The Comfort Starr House (1645–46) is one of the oldest wooden framed private dwellings in Connecticut, and one of the few houses remaining of the original signers who settled Guilford.[7]

Choose the Right Esthetics Vocational School near Guilford CT

Locating and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is important to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Don’t forget to collect all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the institution and program you decide on are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are ready to start your career as a professional esthetician in Guilford CT.