How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Southbridge MA

How to Pick an Esthetician Program near Southbridge Massachusetts

Southbridge MA esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Southbridge MA, the process starts to find and enroll in the right program. It’s important that the program you select not only furnishes the proper instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you might be rather puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a 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 Southbridge residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical consideration when assessing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the ideal option. There are several other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are available.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Southbridge MA Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more attractive through the use of cosmetics. So naturally 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 basically a cosmetic can 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 undergo some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Southbridge MA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a client base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many names and are employed in a wide variety of specialties 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 performing more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees and Certificates

Southbridge MA esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two options offered to receive 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 normally take 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree ordinarily takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you want to concentrate on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also most likely incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Southbridge MA business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you go with, it’s important to make sure that it’s certified by the Massachusetts Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the next section.

Online Esthetics Training

woman attending esthetician school online in Southbridge MA Online esthetician programs are convenient for Southbridge MA students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs available that can be accessed through a home 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 large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. However, it’s important that the school you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to gain 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 provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Training Classes

Southbridge MA 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 already covered, the location of the school relative to your Southbridge residence, together with the expense of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the esthetician college you enroll in 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 01550 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Southbridge MA businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Southbridge MA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And last, consult the Massachusetts school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all facets 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 decide on 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 aspiration is to launch a Southbridge MA beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Practicing and refining esthetician techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty school offers limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. Therefore look for other schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s essential that he or she gets support in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid maintain relationships with Southbridge MA businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? Most esthetician schools provide 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 is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students also. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you learn what financial help may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Southbridge MA?

Perhaps you live in the Southbridge 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.

Southbridge, Massachusetts

The Town of Southbridge has a city form of government with a city council legislative body, but via a statute calls itself a Town.[3] It is located in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 16,719 at the 2010 census. Southbridge is one of thirteen Massachusetts municipalities that have applied for, and been granted, city forms of government but wish to retain "The town of" in their official names.[4]

The area was initially inhabited by the Nipmuck and Mohegan tribes, with the Quinebaug River dividing their territories. As early as 1638, John Winthrop, Jr. purchased Tantiusques a tract for mining lead centered at what is now Leadmine Road in Sturbridge (it was thought at the time that where there was lead, there should be silver nearby). In fact the mineral deposit was graphite which the Winthrops commercialized employing Nipmuck miners.

Southbridge was first settled by Europeans in 1730. In 1801 a poll parish, named the Second Religious Society of Charlton, and popularly called Honest Town, was formed from the west part of Dudley, the southwest part of Charlton and the southeast part of Sturbridge. In 1816 this parish was incorporated to become the township of Southbridge.[5] Among the first settlers was Moses Marcy, who owned a home on the site of what is now Notre Dame church and was elected to Congress, and the Dennison family. Water power from the Quinebaug River made Southbridge a good location for sawmills and gristmills in the 18th century, and textile mills in the 19th century. After the Civil War, many immigrants of Irish and French Canadian descent came to work and live there; by the 1930s they had been joined by Poles, Greeks, Italians and others.

Choose the Right Esthetics College near Southbridge MA

Picking and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is essential to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Make certain 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 compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you choose are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are prepared to start your career as a professional esthetician in Southbridge MA.