How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Lehigh Acres FL

How to Pick an Esthetics Program near Lehigh Acres Florida

Lehigh Acres FL esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Lehigh Acres FL, the task starts to locate and enroll in the best program. It’s imperative that the school you pick not only furnishes the proper training for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you might be rather unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll talk a bit further about that in the next segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Lehigh Acres residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical consideration when reviewing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not always the right choice. There are various other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are available.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Lehigh Acres FL Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can 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 mandate that you take some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Lehigh Acres FL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a client base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many titles 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 working cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees

Lehigh Acres FL esthetician client with face mask There are basically two avenues available to receive 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 usually 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 instructed in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also most likely incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Lehigh Acres FL business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you opt for, it’s essential to make sure that it’s approved by the Florida Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following section.

Online Esthetician Training

woman attending esthetician school online in Lehigh Acres FL Online esthetician programs are advantageous for Lehigh Acres FL students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs available that can be accessed via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are often fast paced since many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial amount 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 outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it’s important that the training program you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Training Courses

Lehigh Acres FL models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you will want to research for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Lehigh Acres home, in addition to the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue 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 even more factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the esthetician college you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 33936 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Lehigh Acres FL employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Lehigh Acres FL salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And last, contact the Florida school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you select a school that specializes in 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 open a Lehigh Acres FL beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and refining esthetician skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty school provides limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for developing your skills. So try to find alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s essential that he or she gets help in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide assistance develop relationships with Lehigh Acres FL employers that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students as well. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an option before you find out what financial help may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Lehigh Acres FL?

Perhaps you live in the Lehigh Acres 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.

Lehigh Acres, Florida

Lehigh Acres is a census-designated place (CDP) in Lee County, Florida, United States. The US Census Bureau of 2010 had the CDP's population at 86,784. Lehigh Acres is a part of the Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Lehigh Acres is located at 26°36′30″N 81°38′21″W / 26.60833°N 81.63917°W / 26.60833; -81.63917 (26.608333, -81.639167).[3] According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 95.98 square miles (248.6 km2), of which 94.89 square miles (245.8 km2) is land and 1.09 square miles (2.8 km2) (1.14%) is water.

Lehigh Acres was developed in the mid-1950s by Chicago businessman Lee Ratner. Seeking a tax shelter, Ratner had sold his pest control business and faced the possibility of losing most of his earnings to the high capital gains tax of that era. Ratner heard that cattle was a good investment for people in his predicament, and he bought 18,000 acres (73 km²) of land in eastern Lee County and named it the Lucky Lee Ranch. After ranching for a while, and despite having no prior development experience, Ratner joined with Gerald H. Gould, a Florida advertising executive, Manuel Riskin, a Chicago CPA, and Edward Shapiro, a former Chicagoan who was in the real estate business in California, and began land sales at Lehigh Acres.[citation needed]

Choose the Right Esthetics Program near Lehigh Acres FL

Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician program is essential to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to compile 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 contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the college and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions provided in this post, 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 test, you will be confident that you are qualified to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Lehigh Acres FL.