How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Waltham MA

How to Choose an Esthetician Training Program near Waltham Massachusetts

Waltham MA esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Waltham MA, the process begins to search for and enroll in the best program. It’s imperative that the school you select not only furnishes the appropriate training for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be a little bit unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a little bit further concerning that in the next section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Waltham home. Tuition will additionally be a critical factor when reviewing possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not always the right choice. There are various other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are offered.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Waltham MA Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more attractive through the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most 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. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states mandate that you undergo some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Waltham 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, establish 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 have many 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 practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees and Certificates

Waltham MA esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two pathways available to get esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually call for 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you want to focus on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Waltham MA business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you go with, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s certified by the Massachusetts Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the following section.

Online Esthetician Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Waltham MA Online esthetician classes are convenient for Waltham MA students who are working 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 attended through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are often fast paced given that many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable 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 numerous hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it’s imperative that the school you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Training Courses

Waltham MA models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you need to look into for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Waltham home, as well as the cost of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make certain that the esthetician training program you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 02154 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Waltham MA businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Waltham MA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to propose others that you had not considered. Finally, check with the Massachusetts school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted 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, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you pick a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your dream is to launch a Waltham MA beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician skills and techniques demands lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty school offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best option for developing your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s essential that she or he receives aid in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer help develop relationships with Waltham MA businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Most esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students also. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an option until you find out what financial aid may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Waltham MA?

Perhaps you live in the Waltham 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.

Waltham, Massachusetts

Waltham (/ˈwɔːlθæm/) is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, and was an early center for the labor movement as well as a major contributor to the American Industrial Revolution. The original home of the Boston Manufacturing Company, the city was a prototype for 19th century industrial city planning, spawning what became known as the Waltham-Lowell system of labor and production. The city is now a center for research and higher education, home to Brandeis University and Bentley University. The population was 60,636 at the census in 2010.[2]

Waltham is commonly referred to as Watch City because of its association with the watch industry. Waltham Watch Company opened its factory in Waltham in 1854 and was the first company to make watches on an assembly line. It won the gold medal in 1876 at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition. The company produced over 35 million watches, clocks and instruments before it closed in 1957.[3]

The name of the city is pronounced with the primary stress on the first syllable and a full vowel in the second syllable, /ˈwɔːlθæm/ WAWL-tham, though the name of the Waltham watch was pronounced with a reduced schwa in the second syllable: /ˈwɔːlθəm/.[4] As most would pronounce in the British way, "Walthum", when people came to work in the mills from Nova Scotia, the pronunciation evolved. The "local" version became a phonetic sounding to accommodate French speakers who could not pronounce in the British way.

Find the Right Esthetics School near Waltham MA

Locating and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is imperative to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Don’t forget to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the school and program you select are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are prepared to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Waltham MA.