How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Lee FL

How to Enroll In an Esthetics Program near Lee Florida

Lee FL esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Lee FL, the process starts to find and enroll in the ideal program. It’s important that the school you select not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you may be rather unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a bit more concerning that in the upcoming segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Lee residence. Tuition will also be an important consideration when assessing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the ideal option. There are several other factors that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are available.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Lee FL Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of 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 improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you go through some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Lee FL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a customer base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many titles and work 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 the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. 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.

Esthetics Degrees

Lee FL esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two avenues available to obtain 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 generally take 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 all of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you prefer to focus on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Lee FL business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you decide on, it’s essential to make sure that it’s approved by the Florida Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming section.

Online Esthetician Courses

woman attending esthetician school online in Lee FL Online esthetician programs are accommodating for Lee FL students who are employed full-time and have family commitments that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of online beauty school programs offered that can be attended through a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are typically fast paced given that many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting many hours away from your home or travelling to and from classes. However, it’s essential that the program you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Training Courses

Lee FL models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a list of questions that you need to research for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Lee home, together with the expense of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the esthetician training program 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 measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in 32059 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Lee FL employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Lee FL salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, 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. Finally, contact the Florida school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you pick a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your desire is to launch a Lee FL beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of 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 instead relies mainly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. So search for alternate 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 she or he gets aid in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish aid maintain relationships with Lee FL businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are considering 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 verify 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 offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might 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 all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you find out what financial assistance may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Lee FL?

Perhaps you live in the Lee Florida 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.

Thomas Lee (fl. 1420s)

Pick the Right Esthetician Vocational School near Lee FL

Finding and enrolling in the right esthetician school is important to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Don’t forget to consolidate all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the school and program you decide on are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you begin 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 ideal choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Lee FL.