How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Lafayette LA

How to Find the Right Esthetics Course near Lafayette Louisiana

Lafayette LA esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Lafayette LA, the process begins to locate and enroll in the best program. It’s essential that the school you pick not only furnishes the necessary instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be rather unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a little bit more about that in the upcoming section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Lafayette home. Tuition will likewise be a critical aspect when evaluating possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the best choice. There are a number of other factors that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are available.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Lafayette LA Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually 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 require that you take some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Lafayette LA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a customer base, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional names and work in a wide range of specialties 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 a few states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetics Certificates and Degrees

Lafayette LA esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two options offered to obtain esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally 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 instructed in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you want to concentrate on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Lafayette LA business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you choose, it’s essential to make sure that it’s certified by the Louisiana Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only certify schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming segment.

Online Esthetics Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Lafayette LA Online esthetician programs are advantageous for Lafayette LA students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online beauty school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are typically fast paced given that many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours away from your home or driving to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Schools

Lafayette LA models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Lafayette residence, as well as the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt 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 take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together some of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s important 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 guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 70501 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 Lafayette LA businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Lafayette LA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. Finally, check with the Louisiana 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? Many 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 commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you choose a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your desire is to start a Lafayette LA beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty program furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for developing your skills. So search for alternate schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s crucial that he or she receives assistance in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer aid develop relationships with Lafayette LA employers that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students too. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an alternative before you determine what financial assistance may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Lafayette LA?

Perhaps you live in the Lafayette Louisiana 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.

Lafayette, Louisiana

Lafayette (/ˌlæfiˈjɛt/; French: [lafajɛt]) is a city in and the parish seat of Lafayette Parish, Louisiana,[4] located along the Vermilion River in the southwestern part of the state. The city of Lafayette is the fourth-largest in the state, with a population of 127,657 according to 2015 U.S. Census estimates.[5] It is the principal city of the Lafayette, Louisiana Metropolitan Statistical Area, with a 2015 estimated population of 490,488. The larger trade area or Combined Statistical Area of Lafayette-Opelousas-Morgan City CSA was 627,146 in 2015.[5] Its nickname is The Hub City.

The Attakapas Native Americans inhabited this area at the time of European encounter. French colonists founded the first European settlement, Petit Manchac, a trading post along the Vermilion River.[6] In the late eighteenth century, numerous Acadian refugees settled in this area, after being expelled from Canada after Great Britain defeated France in the Seven Years' War. They intermarried with other settlers, forming what is known as Cajun culture, which continued as strongly French language and Catholic religion.

Jean Mouton, of Acadian descent, donated land to the Catholic church for construction of a small Catholic chapel at this site. In 1824 this area was selected for the Lafayette Parish seat and known as Vermilionville, for its location on the river. In 1836 the Louisiana Legislature granted it incorporation.

Choose the Right Esthetician Program near Lafayette LA

Choosing and enrolling in the right esthetician college is imperative to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to collect all of the responses 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 decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, 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 proper selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are qualified to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Lafayette LA.