How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Cedar Falls IA

How to Pick an Esthetician School near Cedar Falls Iowa

Cedar Falls IA esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Cedar Falls IA, the task begins to search for and enroll in the ideal program. It’s important that the school you choose not only provides the proper education for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be somewhat puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a bit more regarding that in the following segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Cedar Falls home. Tuition will additionally be an important factor when evaluating potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not always the best choice. There are a number of other factors that you should weigh when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding 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 training programs are offered.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Cedar Falls IA Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term 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, the majority of states mandate that you take some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Cedar Falls IA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a customer base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many professional names 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 most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetics Certificates and Degrees

Cedar Falls IA esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two options offered 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 usually require 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 instructed in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you wish to focus on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Cedar Falls IA business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you decide on, it’s important to make sure that it’s certified by the Iowa Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next segment.

Online Esthetician Schools

woman attending esthetician school online in Cedar Falls IA Online esthetician schools are convenient for Cedar Falls IA students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of online beauty school programs offered that can be attended by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are typically fast paced since many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a large portion 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 away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the school you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Training Programs

Cedar Falls IA models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you will want to research for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Cedar Falls residence, in addition to the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected some of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make certain that the esthetician training program you select 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 quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 50613 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Cedar Falls IA employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Cedar Falls IA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. Finally, contact the Iowa school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you choose a school that focuses on 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 well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to start a Cedar Falls IA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty school offers little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on using mannequins, it may not be the best option for acquiring your skills. So search for other schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s essential that he or she receives support in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with Cedar Falls IA businesses that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Check 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 confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded 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 reviewing have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students as well. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an option before you learn what financial assistance may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Cedar Falls IA?

Perhaps you live in the Cedar Falls Iowa 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.

Cedar Falls, Iowa

Cedar Falls was founded in 1845 by William Sturgis. It was originally named Sturgis Falls, for the first family who settled the site. The Sturgis family lived in Sturgis Falls for years until the city was merged with Cedar City, another city on the other side of the Cedar River creating Cedar Falls. The city's founders are honored each year with a week long community-wide celebration named in their honor – the Sturgis Falls Celebration.[6]

Because of the availability of water power, Cedar Falls developed as a milling and industrial center prior to the Civil War. The establishment of the Civil War Soldiers' Orphans Home in Cedar Falls changed the direction in which the city developed when, following the war, it became the first building on the campus of the Iowa State Normal School (now the University of Northern Iowa).[7]

Cedar Falls is located at 42°31′24″N 92°26′45″W / 42.52333°N 92.44583°W / 42.52333; -92.44583 (42.523520, −92.446402).[8] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 29.61 square miles (76.69 km2), of which, 28.75 square miles (74.46 km2) is land and 0.86 square miles (2.23 km2) is water.[1]

Enroll in the Right Esthetics School near Cedar Falls IA

Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician program is important to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to organize all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the institution and program you pick are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are qualified to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Cedar Falls IA.