How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Medway MA

How to Choose an Esthetics Program near Medway Massachusetts

Medway MA esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Medway MA, the process starts to search for and enroll in the best program. It’s essential that the program you select not only provides the necessary education for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start 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 pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a little bit further about that in the following segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Medway residence. Tuition will likewise be an important consideration when reviewing prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the ideal option. There are a number of other considerations that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for example 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 discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are available.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Medway MA Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more attractive with the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really 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 form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Medway MA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a clientele, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many titles and work in a wide range 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 must be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees

Medway MA esthetician client with face mask There are basically two options offered to obtain esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally call for 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 wish to focus on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also most likely incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Medway MA business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you choose, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s recognized by the Massachusetts Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the next segment.

Online Esthetician Training

woman attending esthetician school online in Medway MA Online esthetician classes are accommodating for Medway MA students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs available that can be accessed through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are typically fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not spending numerous hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the program you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Programs

Medway MA models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you will want to research for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Medway residence, together with the expense of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the esthetician training program you choose 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 meet their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 02053 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Medway MA employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Medway MA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. And last, contact the Massachusetts school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of 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, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you select a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your goal 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 dream is to launch a Medway MA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Any Live Training Provided? Studying and mastering esthetician skills and techniques requires lots of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty program furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best option for cultivating your skills. So search for other schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s important that he or she gets help in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance develop relationships with Medway MA employers that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments 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? Almost all esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. 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 available to students as well. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not omit it as an option until you learn what financial help may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Medway MA?

Perhaps you live in the Medway 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.

Medway, Massachusetts

Medway (originally Midway) was first settled in 1657 and was officially incorporated in 1713.[1] At that time, Medway began as a farming community of two hundred thirty-three. It was not long before the water power of the Charles River and Chicken Brook stimulated the formation of cotton and paper mills, straw and boot factories, and a variety of cottage industries. Medway demonstrates the central importance of the Charles River and the thriving town that grew alongside it. Today, the one-room schoolhouses are gone and the country stores have moved to the mall, but the open town meetings continue.

After nearby Medfield was established as a town in 1651, an increasing number of newcomers settled on the land west of the Charles River. By 1712, this settlement west of the Charles had grown large enough to petition the Massachusetts General Court for the creation of a separate new town. That petition was granted, and the town of Medway incorporated on October 25, 1713. At its founding by Henry Garnsey, and for 170 years afterward, the town of Medway included the land that is now Millis. Eventually, the eastern section of the town, known as East Medway, separated in 1885 to form the town of Millis, and Medway assumed the shape it has today.

The main cause for the independent formation of Millis from Medway was the physical separation caused by a massive tract of undevelopable land appropriately named in those times, the Great Black Swamp. The Black Swamp was at the geographical center point of Medway and East Medway. Had the land been developable, this would have been the ideal location for a central meeting house, as well as churches and schools. However, because the thick forest/swamp was completely undevelopable, this forced inhabitants of Medway and East Medway to form separate communities with their own respective necessities such as a meeting house and churches. Despite this natural separation, the town remained as one for over 170 years.

Pick the Right Esthetics Program near Medway MA

Finding and enrolling in the right esthetician school is important to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Don’t forget 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 data to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the academy and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Medway MA.