How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Metairie LA

How to Find the Right Esthetician College near Metairie Louisiana

Metairie LA esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Metairie LA, the process begins to find and enroll in the ideal program. It’s important that the program you pick not only provides the proper training for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be a little bit confused about the contrast 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 speak a little bit more regarding that in the next section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Metairie home. Tuition will also be a critical consideration when assessing possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not always the best choice. There are several other qualifications that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are available.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Metairie LA Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more attractive with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic can be anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you go through some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Metairie LA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many titles and are employed in a wide range of specializations including:

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

As earlier stated, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees and Certificates

Metairie LA esthetician client with face mask There are basically two options offered to obtain 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 require 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree ordinarily takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you want to concentrate on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also most likely incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Metairie LA business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you choose, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s approved by the Louisiana Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming segment.

Online Esthetics Schools

woman attending esthetician school online in Metairie LA Online esthetician classes are advantageous for Metairie LA students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are frequently fast paced given that many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you’re not spending many hours away from your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the training program you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Programs

Metairie LA models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you need to research for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Metairie home, together with the cost of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following 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 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 70001 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Metairie LA employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Metairie LA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And finally, check with the Louisiana school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you enroll in a school that focuses on 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 well regarded for that program. If your desire is to start a Metairie LA beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.

Is Any Live Training Provided? Studying and refining esthetician skills and techniques involves lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus 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 using mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. Therefore look for other schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s important that he or she receives aid in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer help maintain relationships with Metairie LA employers that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? 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 department. Talk to a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students too. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you determine what financial assistance may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Metairie LA?

Perhaps you live in the Metairie 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.

Metairie, Louisiana

Metairie (/ˈmɛtəri/ MET-ər-ee; French: Métairie [metɛʁi]) is a census-designated place (CDP) in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States, and is part of the New Orleans Metropolitan Area. With a population at the 2010 census of 138,481,[1] Metairie is the largest community in Jefferson Parish and the fifth-largest CDP in the United States.[2] It is an unincorporated area that would be Louisiana's fourth-largest city if it were incorporated.[3][4] The zip codes that serve the community are 70001–70006.

Métairie is the French term for a small tenant farm which paid the landlord with a share of the produce, also known as sharecropping. In the 1760s, many of the original French farmers were tenants; after the Civil War, the majority of the community's inhabitants were sharecroppers until urbanization started in the 1910s.

In the 1720s French settlers became the first Europeans to settle Metairie in the area known then as Tchoupitoulas and now as Metairie Ridge, a natural levee formed by an ancient branch of the Mississippi River which flowed through modern-day River Ridge, Metairie, Gentilly, and New Orleans East. It emptied into Mississippi Sound. The Acolapissa Native Americans used this ridge as a road, and it is the oldest road in the New Orleans area. Paved in the 1920s, it is called Metairie Road. An electric streetcar was installed running along Metairie Road in the late 1910s, opening the area to greater development. Upscale housing tracts were constructed off the road in the 1920s; this area is now known as "Old Metairie". It is today the most prestigious area of Metairie. The areas to the north and northwest of Metairie Road were not developed until after World War II. The land between Metairie Ridge and Lake Pontchartrain, which was cypress swamps and marshlands, was drained with the Wood Pump. With development of this new land for residences, Metairie's population grew in the 1940s as a result of cheaper land, lower taxes, and larger lots than in Orleans Parish.

Enroll in the Right Esthetics Training Program near Metairie LA

Selecting and enrolling in the right esthetician program is essential to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to collect all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you pick are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Metairie LA.