How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Concord MI

How to Select an Esthetician Course near Concord Michigan

Concord MI esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Concord MI, the process starts to locate and enroll in the right program. It’s essential that the program you choose not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may be rather confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll speak a bit further about that in the next section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Concord residence. Tuition will also be an important consideration when reviewing potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the ideal option. There are many other qualifications that you should weigh when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Concord MI Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you go through some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Concord MI beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a clientele, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles and work in a wide variety of specialties including:

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

As earlier stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

Concord MI esthetician client with face mask There are basically two avenues offered to obtain esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally 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 main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you want to focus on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Concord MI business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you choose, it’s essential to make certain that it’s approved by the Michigan Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming segment.

Online Esthetics Programs

woman attending esthetician school online in Concord MI Online esthetician classes are accommodating for Concord MI students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online cosmetology school programs available that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are often fast paced since many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not spending many hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the training program you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Programs

Concord MI models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you need to look into for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Concord residence, as well as the price of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want 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 even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have put together several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the esthetician college you pick 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 comply with their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 49237 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Concord MI employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any esthetician institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Concord MI salon owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. And last, contact the Michigan school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you decide on 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 dream is to start a Concord MI beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and refining esthetician skills and techniques demands lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty program provides little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best option for acquiring your skills. So try to find other schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s essential that she or he receives support in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with Concord MI employers that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and learn 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 offered to students also. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not drop it as an alternative until you find out what financial help may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Concord MI?

Perhaps you live in the Concord Michigan 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.

Concord, Massachusetts

Concord (/ˈkɒŋkərd/) is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, in the United States. At the 2010 census, the town population was 17,668.[1] The United States Census Bureau considers Concord part of Greater Boston. The town center is near where the confluence of the Sudbury and Assabet rivers forms the Concord River.

The area that became the town of Concord was originally known as Musketaquid, an Algonquian word for "grassy plain." Concord was established in 1635 by a handful of British settlers; by 1775, the population had grown to 1,400.[2] As dissension between colonists in North America and the British crown intensified, 700 troops were sent to confiscate militia ordnance stored at Concord on April 19, 1775.[3][4] The ensuing conflict, the Battle of Lexington and Concord, was the incident (the shot heard round the world) that triggered the American Revolutionary War.

A rich literary community developed in Concord during the mid-19th century, centered around Ralph Waldo Emerson. Emerson's circle included Nathaniel Hawthorne, Louisa May Alcott and Henry David Thoreau. Major works written in Concord during this period include Alcott's novel Little Women, Emerson's essay Self-Reliance, and Thoreau's Walden and Civil Disobedience. In this era, the now-ubiquitous Concord grape was developed in Concord by Ephraim Wales Bull.

Choose the Right Esthetics School near Concord MI

Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is important to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel confident about your decision. Don’t forget to organize all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the school and program you choose are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you begin 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 proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Concord MI.