How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Berlin MA

How to Find the Right Esthetician College near Berlin Massachusetts

Berlin MA esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Berlin MA, the process starts to search for and enroll in the ideal program. It’s essential that the school you choose not only furnishes the necessary instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may be somewhat 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 kind of school. We’ll speak a bit further about that in the upcoming segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Berlin home. Tuition will also be an important factor when evaluating prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not always the ideal choice. There are many other considerations that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are available.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Berlin MA Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more attractive through the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really 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 mandate that you go through some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Berlin MA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a clientele, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional names and work in a wide variety of specializations including:

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

As formerly mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetics Certificates and Degrees

Berlin MA esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two options offered to receive esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually call for 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you want to concentrate on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Berlin MA business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you choose, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s approved by the Massachusetts Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the next segment.

Online Esthetics Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Berlin MA Online esthetician classes are accommodating for Berlin MA students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs available that can be attended via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are frequently fast paced given that many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not devoting many hours away from your home or driving to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the program you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Degree Programs

Berlin MA models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you need to research for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Berlin residence, in addition to the price of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected some of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the esthetician school you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 01503 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Berlin MA employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each esthetician institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Berlin MA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And last, consult the Massachusetts school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you select a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your objective is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your vision is to start a Berlin MA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.

Is Enough Live Training Provided? Studying and mastering esthetician skills and techniques requires lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school offers limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best option for developing your skills. So search for other schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s important that he or she gets support in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide aid develop relationships with Berlin MA businesses that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? The majority of esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might get approved 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 fulfills all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not drop it as an alternative before you find out what financial aid may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Berlin MA?

Perhaps you live in the Berlin Massachusetts 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.

Berlin, Massachusetts

Berlin lies in a low range of hills between the Nashua River and Assabet River valleys. Incorporated in 1812, the town was a residential and agricultural community, growing mixed hay grains and raising cattle. For a period after the Civil War, Berlin was home to a large shoe factory, and shoe manufacturing and lumbering provided non-agrarian jobs. The town soon moved into specialty market gardening, sending 41,000 bunches of asparagus to market in 1885, growing hops and raising chickens. By 1940, 83,600 dozen eggs were produced annually by the poultry farmers of Berlin.

Berlin's first town house was constructed in 1831 for town meetings and social activities. Community growth necessitated the construction of a new town hall, and construction of the new town hall was started in 1869 and completed in 1870. The lot, a small piece of land facing the Meeting House Common in the center of Berlin, was given to the town by Artemas Barnes.

The Memorial Hall, on the first floor, included photographs of nearly all the local soldiers lost in the Civil War. Later the photos of other Civil War veterans were added until likenesses of nearly 100 local men were collected there. In the 20th Century, war dead of World War I, World War II and Vietnam were added.

Pick the Right Esthetician Vocational School near Berlin MA

Picking and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is important to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Make certain to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the institution and program you choose are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions supplied in this article, 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 prepared to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Berlin MA.