How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Plymouth MI

How to Find the Right Esthetics Program near Plymouth Michigan

Plymouth MI esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Plymouth MI, the process starts to find and enroll in the right program. It’s important that the school you choose not only furnishes the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be a little bit unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a bit more concerning that in the upcoming section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Plymouth residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical aspect when assessing possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the best choice. There are many other qualifications that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within 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 Plymouth MI Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy 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 anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you take some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Plymouth MI beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional names 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 formerly mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

Plymouth MI esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two avenues 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 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 all of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you wish to concentrate on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Plymouth MI business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you choose, it’s important to make certain that it’s recognized by the Michigan Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the next section.

Online Esthetics Courses

woman attending esthetician school online in Plymouth MI Online esthetician programs are advantageous for Plymouth MI students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online beauty school programs available that can be attended via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are often fast paced given that many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the training program you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Training Courses

Plymouth MI models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Plymouth home, together with the expense of tuition, will probably be your initial 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 preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the esthetician college you pick 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 guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 48170 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Plymouth MI 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? Every esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Plymouth MI salon owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. Finally, check with the Michigan school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances 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, concentrating 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 commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you enroll in a school that specializes in 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 respected for that program. If your vision is to launch a Plymouth MI beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Studying and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on using mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for developing your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s essential that she or he receives assistance in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer help develop relationships with Plymouth MI businesses that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, 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 regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? The majority of esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and identify 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 as well. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an alternative before you determine what financial aid may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Plymouth MI?

Perhaps you live in the Plymouth 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.

Plymouth, Michigan

Plymouth is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 9,132 at the 2010 census.[7] The city of Plymouth is entirely surrounded by Plymouth Charter Township but both are administered autonomously.[8]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.22 square miles (5.75 km2), of which 2.21 square miles (5.72 km2) is land and 0.01 square miles (0.03 km2) is water.[9] It is located 15.6 miles (25.1 km) east of Ann Arbor and 26.3 miles (42.3 km) west of Detroit, just south of the M-14 highway and west of Interstate 275.

The City of Plymouth has a variety of shops and restaurants surrounding Kellogg Park, the de facto center of town. The Inn at St. John's, a hotel conference center and golf resort, is located in Plymouth. The city offers more than fifty recreation programs for all age groups, an NHL-size ice arena and twelve parks. It also organizes major community events such as the popular Fall Festival, Ice Sculpture Spectacular and the Art in the Park, and access to the Plymouth-Canton school district, with a unique complex composed of three high schools located on one 305-acre (1.23 km2) campus and is now one of the highest populated high school campuses in the country with close to 6500 students and over 800 faculty members. The Barefoot Productions theater company is located on Main Street.

Choose the Right Esthetician Program near Plymouth MI

Choosing and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is important to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Don’t forget to compile all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ 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 address the additional questions supplied in this post, 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 examination, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Plymouth MI.