How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Hartford City IN

How to Select an Esthetics College near Hartford City Indiana

Hartford City IN esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Hartford City IN, the task begins to search for and enroll in the right program. It’s imperative that the school you choose not only furnishes the necessary training for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be somewhat puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a bit further concerning that in the next section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Hartford City home. Tuition will additionally be an important factor when assessing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not always the ideal option. There are many other considerations that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are available.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Hartford City IN Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So of course 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 basically 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 form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Hartford City IN beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a customer base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have 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 earlier stated, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

Hartford City IN esthetician client with face mask There are basically two options available to receive esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally 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 trained in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you wish to concentrate on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also most likely incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Hartford City IN business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you opt for, it’s important to make certain that it’s recognized by the Indiana Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the next section.

Online Esthetician Programs

woman attending esthetician school online in Hartford City IN Online esthetician programs are accommodating for Hartford City IN students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are typically fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you’re not spending many hours outside of your home or commuting to and from classes. However, it’s essential that the training program you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Training Programs

Hartford City IN models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you should investigate for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Hartford City home, together with the price of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue 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 initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the Program 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 acknowledged 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 superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in 47348 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Hartford City IN businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent 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. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Hartford City IN salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And last, contact the Indiana school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you select a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your goal 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 Hartford City IN beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Studying and refining esthetician skills and techniques demands lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy offers limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. So search for other schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s essential that he or she gets help in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide aid develop relationships with Hartford City IN businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of 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. Consult with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students as well. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an option before you find out what financial assistance may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Hartford City IN?

Perhaps you live in the Hartford City Indiana 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.

Hartford City

Choose the Right Esthetics Vocational School near Hartford City IN

Selecting and enrolling in the right esthetician college is essential to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Make certain to collect all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you select are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. 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 proper selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Hartford City IN.