How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Decorah IA

How to Pick an Esthetics Program near Decorah Iowa

Decorah IA esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Decorah IA, the process starts to find and enroll in the ideal program. It’s important that the program you pick not only furnishes the appropriate training for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be a little bit puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll talk a bit more concerning that in the upcoming segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Decorah home. Tuition will likewise be an important consideration when reviewing possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not always the right choice. There are several other factors that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Decorah IA Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic can be almost anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you undergo some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Decorah IA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a clientele, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many professional names and are employed in a wide variety of specialties including:

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

As previously mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees

Decorah IA esthetician client with face mask There are basically two avenues available to receive esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally call for 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 prefer to specialize in just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Decorah IA business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you choose, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s approved by the Iowa Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following section.

Online Esthetician Courses

woman attending esthetician school online in Decorah IA Online esthetician programs are advantageous for Decorah IA students who are working full time and have family commitments that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are frequently fast paced since many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you’re not spending numerous hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it’s vital that the school you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also receive 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 area of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Training Courses

Decorah IA models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you should research for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Decorah residence, in addition to the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial 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 choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the esthetician college you pick 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 comply with their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in 52101 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 Decorah IA businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Decorah IA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. Finally, contact the Iowa school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive 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 imperative 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 respected for that program. If your dream is to start a Decorah IA 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 deliver the training you need.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and refining esthetician skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty school provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best option for cultivating your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s crucial that he or she gets support in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide assistance develop relationships with Decorah IA employers that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Almost all esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students as well. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an alternative before you learn what financial assistance may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Decorah IA?

Perhaps you live in the Decorah 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.

Decorah, Iowa

Decorah is a city in and the county seat of Winneshiek County, Iowa, United States.[4] The population was 8,127 at the 2010 census. Decorah is located at the intersection of State Highway 9 and U.S. Route 52, and is the largest community in Winneshiek County.

Decorah was the site of a Ho-Chunk village beginning around 1840. Several Ho-Chunks had settled along the Upper Iowa River that year when the United States Army forced them to remove from Wisconsin.[5] In 1848, the United States removed the Ho-Chunks again to a new reservation in Minnesota, opening their Iowa villages to white settlers. The first whites to settle were the Day family from Tazewell County, Virginia. According to local Congregationalist minister Rev. Ephraim Adams, the Days arrived in June 1849 with the Ho-Chunks' "tents still standing—with the graves of the dead scattered about where now run our streets and stand our dwellings."[6] Judge Eliphalet Price suggested that the Days name their new settlement Decorah after Ho-Chunk leader Waukon Decorah, who was a U.S. ally during the Black Hawk War of 1832.[7]

During the 1850s and 1860s, Decorah grew quickly as settlers built dams and mills to harness water power at Dunning's Spring and other local streams.[8] In 1851, the town became the county seat of Winneshiek County. Decorah also became the site of a U.S. Land Office from 1855 to 1856, making it a destination for immigrants seeking land patents in northern Iowa. The Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad opened a branch to Decorah in 1869.[9]

Pick the Right Esthetician Vocational School near Decorah IA

Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician school is imperative to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to consolidate all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the academy and program you choose are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are ready to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Decorah IA.