How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools New Albany IN

How to Select an Esthetician Course near New Albany Indiana

New Albany IN esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near New Albany IN, the process starts to find and enroll in the ideal program. It’s essential that the school you select not only furnishes the appropriate education for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you might be a little bit unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a little bit further regarding that in the upcoming section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your New Albany home. Tuition will also be an important aspect when assessing prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the right option. There are a number of other qualifications that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are offered.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners New Albany IN Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be almost anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states mandate that you go through some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only New Albany IN beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a customer base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s residence, 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 already stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

New Albany IN esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two pathways available to obtain 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 generally call for 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you want to concentrate on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other New Albany IN business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you opt for, it’s important to make sure that it’s certified by the Indiana Board of Cosmetology. Many states only approve schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the following segment.

Online Esthetician Programs

woman attending esthetician school online in New Albany IN Online esthetician schools are convenient for New Albany IN 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 cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed through a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are frequently fast paced because many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it’s important that the school you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Training Classes

New Albany IN models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you should look into for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your New Albany residence, together with the expense of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish 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 initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the esthetician college you choose 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 comply with their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 47150 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous New Albany IN businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. 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 demanded. Check rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with New Albany IN salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, 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 thought of. And finally, contact the Indiana school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you decide on a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your objective is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your dream is to launch a New Albany IN 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 poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.

Is Enough Live Training Provided? Studying and refining esthetician skills and techniques requires lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty academy furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best option for acquiring your skills. Therefore search for other schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s crucial that she or he gets help in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develop relationships with New Albany IN businesses that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students also. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not omit it as an option before you determine what financial aid may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near New Albany IN?

Perhaps you live in the New Albany 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.

Albany, New York

Albany (/ˈɔːlbəni/ ( listen) ALL-bə-nee) is the capital of the U.S. state of New York and the seat of Albany County. Albany is located on the west bank of the Hudson River approximately 10 miles (16 km) south of its confluence with the Mohawk River and approximately 150 miles (240 km) north of New York City.

Albany is known for its rich history, commerce, culture, architecture, and institutions of higher education. Albany constitutes the economic and cultural core of the Capital District of New York State, which comprises the Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area, including the nearby cities and suburbs of Troy, Schenectady, and Saratoga Springs. With a 2013 Census-estimated population of 1.1 million [6] the Capital District is the third-most populous metropolitan region in the state and 38th in the United States.[7][8] As of the 2010 census, the population of Albany was 97,856.

The area that later became Albany was settled by Dutch colonists who in 1614, built Fort Nassau for fur trading and, in 1624, built Fort Orange. In 1664, the English took over the Dutch settlements, renaming the city as Albany, in honor of the then Duke of Albany, the future James II of England and James VII of Scotland. The city was officially chartered in 1686 under English rule. It became the capital of New York in 1797 following formation of the United States. Albany is one of the oldest surviving settlements of the original British thirteen colonies, and is the longest continuously chartered city in the United States.[9]

Choose the Right Esthetician Vocational School near New Albany IN

Selecting and enrolling in the right esthetician program is imperative to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Don’t forget to collect all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A good start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the school and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are qualified to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in New Albany IN.