How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools West Union IA

How to Select an Esthetics School near West Union Iowa

West Union IA esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near West Union IA, the task begins to locate and enroll in the best program. It’s important that the school you select not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be somewhat puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a bit further concerning that in the next section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your West Union home. Tuition will additionally be a critical consideration when assessing possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the right choice. There are a number of other factors that you should weigh when comparing 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 in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners West Union IA Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more attractive with the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you take some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only West Union IA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many professional names and are employed in a wide variety of specializations including:

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

As previously mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

West Union IA esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two pathways available to get esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually take 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 instructed in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you prefer to focus on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other West Union IA business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you opt for, it’s important to make certain that it’s recognized by the Iowa Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming section.

Online Esthetician Training

woman attending esthetician school online in West Union IA Online esthetician programs are advantageous for West Union IA students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be attended via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools are often fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not spending many hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the training program you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. 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 Classes

West Union IA models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your West Union home, as well as the expense of tuition, will most likely be your first 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 preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have collected some of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the esthetician school you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 52175 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 West Union IA employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. 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, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with West Union IA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. Finally, consult the Iowa school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for instance 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 specializes in 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 vision is to launch a West Union 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 poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Enough Live Training Provided? Practicing and refining esthetician skills and techniques requires lots of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. So try to find alternate schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s imperative that she or he receives aid in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid maintain relationships with West Union IA businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Many esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and find out 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 offered to students too. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an option until you find out what financial assistance may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near West Union IA?

Perhaps you live in the West Union 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.

West Union, Iowa

West Union is the home of the North Fayette Valley Community School District, which comprises the communities of West Union; Clermont; Elgin; Wadena; Hawkeye; Fayette, the unincorporated town of Alpha and the surrounding rural areas.

North Fayette and Valley Community Schools combined services in 2013 with the high school in West Union and the middle school in Elgin. The new school's mascot is called the Tigerhawks, due to the merging of the schools mascots, the Valley Tigers and the North Fayette Hawks. This agreement came about as a result of low enrollment and less state aid. This agreement will last until the 2015-2016 school year, unless the two districts' school boards decide to end it early. At the end of the 2015-16 school year, the school boards can decide to either: continue the whole-grade sharing agreement, end the agreement and go back to the North Fayette and Valley school districts, or officially consolidate the two districts.

As of the census[3] of 2010, there were 2,486 people, 1,106 households, and 626 families residing in the city. The population density was 894.2 inhabitants per square mile (345.3/km2). There were 1,240 housing units at an average density of 446.0 per square mile (172.2/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 96.4% White, 1.1% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 0.3% Pacific Islander, 0.6% from other races, and 0.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.0% of the population.

Select the Right Esthetician College near West Union IA

Finding and enrolling in the right esthetician school is imperative to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Don’t forget 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 sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the academy and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right 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 West Union IA.