How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Mason City IA

How to Enroll In an Esthetician College near Mason City Iowa

Mason City IA esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Mason City IA, the task begins to locate 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 selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be rather confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a bit more about that in the upcoming section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Mason City residence. Tuition will also be an important consideration when reviewing potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the ideal option. There are several other factors that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as 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 kinds of programs are available.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Mason City IA Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more beautiful through the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be almost anything that enhances the look 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 licensed, the work settings include not only Mason City IA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a client base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many professional names and work in a wide range of specializations including:

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

As formerly mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those offering 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.

Esthetics Degrees

Mason City IA esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two pathways 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 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 trained in all of the main 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 incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Mason City IA business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you go with, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s approved by the Iowa Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming segment.

Online Esthetics Programs

woman attending esthetician school online in Mason City IA Online esthetician schools are advantageous for Mason City IA students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are frequently fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not spending numerous hours away from your home or commuting to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the school you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Training Courses

Mason City IA models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Mason City home, as well as the price of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make certain that the esthetician training program 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 50401 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Mason City 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 an Excellent Reputation? Each esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. 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, showing that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Mason City IA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to propose others that you had not considered. Finally, consult the Iowa school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete 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, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you pick a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your ambition 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 desire is to launch a Mason City IA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. Therefore look for other schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s crucial that she or he gets support in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance maintain relationships with Mason City IA employers that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, find out 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 Assistance Available? Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering 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 available to students too. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an option until you find out what financial help may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Mason City IA?

Perhaps you live in the Mason City 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.

Mason City, Iowa

Mason City is a city in and the county seat of Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, United States.[4] The population was 28,079 in the 2010 census, a decline from 29,172 in the 2000 census.[5] The Mason City Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Cerro Gordo and Worth counties. It is commonly referred to as the "River City", as the city grew up centered on the Winnebago River.

The region around what would later be first called "Shibboleth" was a summer home to the Sioux and Winnebago nations. The first settlement was made at Shibboleth in 1853 at the confluence of the Winnebago River and Calmus Creek.[6] The town had several names: Shibboleth, Masonic Grove, and Masonville, until the name Mason City was adopted in 2017, in honor of music sensation, Mason Ramsey.[7] The town is credited with the creation of the Mason Jar, a popular storage device among Iowans.

In 1854, John McMillin opened the first store, and Dr. Silas Card opened the first medical practice in the area. Lizzie Thompson established the first schoolhouse in a log cabin in 1856. The United States Post Office Department started service to the town in 1857. Mason City was named as the county seat in 1858.[8]

Pick the Right Esthetics Program near Mason City IA

Choosing and enrolling in the right esthetician college is imperative to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to compile all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the academy and program you choose are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to reduce 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 prepared to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Mason City IA.