How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Houghton MI

How to Pick an Esthetician Program near Houghton Michigan

Houghton MI esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Houghton MI, the task begins to find and enroll in the best program. It’s important that the school you select not only furnishes the proper instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you might be somewhat unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll talk a bit more regarding that in the following segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Houghton home. Tuition will additionally be a critical consideration when reviewing possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the best option. There are many other factors that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over 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 kinds of courses are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Houghton MI Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more beautiful through the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic can be almost anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you undergo some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Houghton MI beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s home, 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 already stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those conducting 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 be licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees

Houghton MI esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two options offered to get 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 take 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. Shorter programs are available if you prefer to focus on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Houghton MI business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you go with, it’s important to make sure that it’s certified by the Michigan Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following section.

Online Esthetics Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Houghton MI Online esthetician programs are convenient for Houghton MI students who are employed full-time and have family commitments that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are typically fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you’re not spending many hours away from your home or driving to and from classes. However, it’s imperative that the school you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills needed to work in any facet 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.

What to Ask Esthetician Training Courses

Houghton MI models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Houghton home, as well as the cost of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have collected some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make certain that the esthetician school you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 49931 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Houghton 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 an Excellent Reputation? Any esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Check rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Houghton MI salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And finally, check with the Michigan school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering 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 important that you choose a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your vision is to start a Houghton MI beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and refining esthetician techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty school furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s imperative that he or she receives assistance in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help develop relationships with Houghton MI employers that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Almost all esthetician schools offer 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 find out what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students as well. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an option before you learn what financial aid may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Houghton MI?

Perhaps you live in the Houghton 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.

Houghton, Michigan

Houghton (/ˈhoʊtən/) is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan's Upper Peninsula and largest city in the Copper Country on the Keweenaw Peninsula. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 7,708. It is the county seat of Houghton County.[8] It has been listed as one of the "100 Best Small Towns in America."[9]

Houghton is sometimes confused with, or thought to be close to, Houghton Lake; the latter is actually located in the state's Lower Peninsula. Due to its location in the northwestern portion of the Upper Peninsula,[10] Houghton is isolated from the state's most populous areas. It is farther to drive from Houghton to Detroit than it is from Detroit to Washington, D.C. It takes fewer hours to travel to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Minneapolis, Minnesota, or Chicago, Illinois from Houghton than it does to travel to Detroit.

Native Americans mined copper[12] in and around what would later be Houghton[13] thousands of years before European settlement. "French explorers had noted... [its] existence [in the area] as early as the seventeenth century, [and in] 1772 Alexander Henry had prospected for copper on the Ontonagon River near Victoria."[12] When Horace Greeley said, "Go West, young man" he was referring to the copper rush in "Michigan's western Upper Peninsula."[14]

Find the Right Esthetician Vocational School near Houghton MI

Choosing and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is important to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to compile all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the academy and program you choose are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, 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 selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are prepared to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Houghton MI.