How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Athens GA

How to Enroll In an Esthetician Course near Athens Georgia

Athens GA esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Athens GA, the process begins to search for and enroll in the right program. It’s essential that the school you choose not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be rather puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll talk a little bit further concerning that in the upcoming section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Athens home. Tuition will also be a critical consideration when assessing potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the best option. There are many other qualifications that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for instance 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 courses are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Athens GA Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more attractive with the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all 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 Athens GA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a customer base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional names and are employed in a wide range of specialties including:

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

As earlier mentioned, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees and Certificates

Athens GA esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two avenues offered to get 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 normally require 12 to 18 months to finish, 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 wish to focus on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Athens GA business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you opt for, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s certified by the Georgia Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming section.

Online Esthetics Training

woman attending esthetician school online in Athens GA Online esthetician classes are advantageous for Athens GA students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed through a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are often fast paced because many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the school you choose can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Trade Schools

Athens GA models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you will want to look into for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Athens home, in addition to the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue 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 additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have put together several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make certain that the esthetician college you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 30601 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Athens GA businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each esthetician institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references 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 sought after. Check rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Athens GA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And last, contact the Georgia school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you pick a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your goal 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 Athens GA beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. So search for alternate schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s imperative that she or he gets help in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid maintain relationships with Athens GA employers that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, ask 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 Assistance Offered? Most esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students as well. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an option until you determine what financial help may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Athens GA?

Perhaps you live in the Athens Georgia 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.

Athens, Georgia

Athens, officially Athens–Clarke County, is a consolidated city–county and college town in the U.S. state of Georgia. Athens lies about 70 mi (113 km) northeast of downtown Atlanta. The University of Georgia, the state's flagship public university and a Tier I research institution, is in the city and contributed to its initial growth. In 1991, after a vote the preceding year, the original City of Athens abandoned its charter to form a unified government with Clarke County, referred to jointly as Athens–Clarke County.[4] As of 2017[update], the U.S. Census Bureau's estimated population of the consolidated city-county (all of Clarke County except Winterville and a portion of Bogart) was 125,691; the entire county including Winterville and Bogart had a population of 127,064.[5] Athens is the sixth-largest city in Georgia, and the principal city of the Athens metropolitan area,[6] which had a 2017 estimated population of 209,271, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.[7] It is a component of the larger Atlanta–Athens–Clarke County–Sandy Springs Combined Statistical Area, a trading area.[8] The city is dominated by a pervasive student culture and music scene centered on downtown Athens, next to the University of Georgia's North Campus.[9] Major music acts associated with Athens include numerous alternative rock bands such as R.E.M., the B-52's, Widespread Panic, Neutral Milk Hotel and the Indigo Girls.

In the late 18th century, a trading settlement on the banks of the Oconee River called Cedar Shoals stood where Athens is today. On January 27, 1785, the Georgia General Assembly granted a charter by Abraham Baldwin for the University of Georgia as the first state-supported university. Sixteen years later, in 1801, a committee from the university's board of trustees selected a site for the university on a hill above Cedar Shoals, in what was then Jackson County. On July 25, John Milledge, one of the trustees and later governor of Georgia, bought 633 acres (256 ha) from Daniel Easley and donated it to the university. Milledge named the surrounding area Athens after the city that was home to the Platonic Academy of Plato and Aristotle in Greece.[10]

The first buildings on the University of Georgia campus were made from logs. The town grew as lots adjacent to the college were sold to raise money for the additional construction of the school. By the time the first class graduated from the university in 1804, Athens consisted of three homes, three stores, and a few other buildings facing Front Street, now known as Broad Street. Completed in 1806 and named in honor of Benjamin Franklin, Franklin College was the first permanent structure of the University of Georgia and of the city of Athens. This brick building is now known as Old College.

Enroll in the Right Esthetician College near Athens GA

Finding and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is imperative to obtain the proper 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. Make certain to organize all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you pick are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are ready to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Athens GA.