How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Palo IA

How to Select an Esthetics College near Palo Iowa

Palo 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 Palo IA, the process begins to locate and enroll in the best program. It’s imperative that the program you pick not only furnishes the proper instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be a little bit unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a little bit further about that in the following segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Palo home. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when evaluating prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the best choice. There are many other factors that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are available.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Palo IA Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you undergo some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Palo IA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a customer base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many titles 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 previously stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees

Palo IA esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two avenues offered to get 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 normally call for 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree ordinarily takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you prefer to specialize in 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 manage a salon or other Palo IA business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you choose, it’s essential to make certain that it’s approved by the Iowa Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming section.

Online Esthetician Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Palo IA Online esthetician schools are advantageous for Palo IA students who are working full time and have family commitments that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs available that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are frequently fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it’s essential that the program you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Training Programs

Palo IA models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you should research for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Palo home, as well as the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have put together some of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 52324 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Palo IA businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Palo IA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. Finally, consult the Iowa school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you select a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your desire is to start a Palo IA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.

Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician skills and techniques demands lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for developing your skills. So look for other schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s important that he or she gets help in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develop relationships with Palo IA employers that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Many esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may qualify 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 omit it as an alternative before you find out what financial help may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Palo IA?

Perhaps you live in the Palo 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.

Palo, Iowa

Palo suffered severe damage during the 2008 flood. Approximately 980 residents, the entirety of the town, were ordered to abandon their homes and businesses. The mandatory evacuation was ordered by the Linn County Emergency Management department, due to flooding from the Cedar River. The Duane Arnold Nuclear Energy Center, Iowa's only nuclear plant, located outside of Palo was not flooded.[5]

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 1,026 people, 358 households, and 292 families residing in the city. The population density was 717.5 inhabitants per square mile (277.0/km2). There were 372 housing units at an average density of 260.1 per square mile (100.4/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 97.6% White, 0.5% African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.3% Asian, and 1.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.4% of the population.

There were 358 households of which 48.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.6% were married couples living together, 6.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 18.4% were non-families. 13.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.87 and the average family size was 3.13.

Choose the Right Esthetician School near Palo IA

Locating and enrolling in the right esthetician school is imperative to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to consolidate all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the school and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and answer 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 prepared to start your career as a professional esthetician in Palo IA.