How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Ashland KY

How to Find the Right Esthetician Training Program near Ashland Kentucky

Ashland KY esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Ashland KY, the process starts to find and enroll in the best program. It’s essential that the school you pick not only provides the necessary training for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be rather confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll speak a bit more about that in the following section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Ashland home. Tuition will additionally be an important consideration when evaluating possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the right choice. There are many other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are available.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Ashland KY Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many 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 look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you take some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Ashland KY beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s residence, 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 previously stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those performing 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 get licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees and Certificates

Ashland KY esthetician client with face mask There are basically two options available to obtain 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 typically take 12 to 18 months to finish, 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. Shorter programs are offered if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Ashland KY 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 training program you decide on, it’s important to make certain that it’s approved by the Kentucky Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming section.

Online Esthetics Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Ashland KY Online esthetician classes are advantageous for Ashland KY students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are frequently fast paced because many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you’re not spending numerous hours away from your home or driving to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the training program you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Degree Programs

Ashland KY models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you will want to look into for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Ashland home, together with the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly 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 should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have collected some of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the esthetician school you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 41101 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Ashland KY employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references 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 demanded. Check rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Ashland KY salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And finally, check with the Kentucky school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically 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 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 vision is to start a Ashland KY beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.

Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. So search for alternate schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s important that she or he gets support in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance maintain relationships with Ashland KY employers that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Many esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. 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 available to students too. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not drop it as an option before you determine what financial help may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Ashland KY?

Perhaps you live in the Ashland Kentucky 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.

Ashland, Kentucky

Ashland is a home rule-class city[2] in Boyd County, Kentucky, in the United States. Ashland, the largest city in Boyd County, is located upon the southern bank of the Ohio River. The population was 21,684 at the 2010 census.[3] Ashland is a part of the Huntington-Ashland metropolitan area; with a population of 363,000.[4] Ashland is the second-largest city within the MSA, after Huntington, West Virginia. Ashland serves as an important economic and medical center for northeast Kentucky and is part of the fifth-largest metropolitan area in Kentucky.

Ashland dates back to the migration of the Poage family from the Shenandoah Valley via the Cumberland Gap in 1786. They erected a homestead along the Ohio River and named it Poage's Landing. Also called Poage Settlement, the community that developed around it remained an extended-family affair until the mid-19th century.[5] In 1854, the city name was changed to Ashland, after Henry Clay's Lexington estate and to reflect the city's growing industrial base. The city's early industrial growth was a result of the Ohio Valley's pig iron industry and, particularly, the 1854 charter of the Kentucky Iron, Coal, and Manufacturing Company by the Kentucky General Assembly.[5] The city was formally incorporated by the General Assembly two years later in 1856.[6] Major industrial employers in the first half of the 20th Century included Armco, Ashland Oil and Refining Company, the C&O Railroad, Allied Chemical & Dye Company's Semet Solvay, and Mansbach Steel.

Ashland is located at 38°27′50″N 82°38′30″W / 38.464017°N 82.641571°W / 38.464017; -82.641571 (38.464017, −82.641571).[7] It lies within the ecoregion of the Western Allegheny Plateau.[8]

Select the Right Esthetician Vocational School near Ashland KY

Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is important to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to collect all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the college and program you pick are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to narrow down 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 launch your career as a professional esthetician in Ashland KY.