How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Argyle MN

How to Choose an Esthetician Program near Argyle Minnesota

Argyle MN esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Argyle MN, the task begins to find and enroll in the ideal program. It’s imperative that the school you pick not only provides the proper education 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 contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll talk a bit further concerning that in the following segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Argyle home. Tuition will also be an important factor when reviewing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the ideal option. There are several other factors that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are available.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Argyle MN Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you take some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Argyle MN beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a customer base, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own residences or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many titles 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 mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

Argyle MN esthetician client with face mask There are basically two pathways available to receive 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 usually take 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 wish to focus on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Argyle MN business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you decide on, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s certified by the Minnesota Board of Cosmetology. Many states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following section.

Online Esthetician Courses

woman attending esthetician school online in Argyle MN Online esthetician schools are accommodating for Argyle MN students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs available that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are typically fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as brief 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 volume of material, but you’re not devoting numerous hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the training program you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Training Programs

Argyle MN models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Argyle residence, in addition to the price of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options 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 collected some of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the esthetician college you select 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 56713 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Argyle MN employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Argyle MN salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. And last, consult the Minnesota 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? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you choose a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your objective is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to start a Argyle MN beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.

Is Any Live Training Provided? Studying and refining esthetician skills and techniques requires lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty academy offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for developing your skills. Therefore search for other schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s essential that she or he receives help in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with Argyle MN businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Most esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Speak 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 accessible to students also. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an option before you learn what financial assistance may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Argyle MN?

Perhaps you live in the Argyle Minnesota 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.

Argyle, Minnesota

Before James J. Hill bought the Great Northern Railway in 1879 and accepted the task of completing the line from Crookston to the Canada–US border, a French-Canadian man founded a town named Louisa, after the French king, in the path of the railroad. However, Hill's company located the new railroad town just south of the Louisa property line and named it Argyle. The early settlement included many French-Canadians. Other settlers included immigrants from England, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Scotland, and Germany. The early townspeople and businessmen were always anxious to make Argyle an attractive community to the region. Today the community still boasts of several businesses, which draw customers from the regional area. Because of threats of flooding, a dike was built on the Middle River which is a branch of the Red River in 1988.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.00 square mile (2.59 km2), all of it land.[1] The city is conveniently located 40 miles from both Grand Forks, North Dakota and Thief River Falls, Minnesota. Argyle is also located 130 miles from Winnipeg, Manitoba and 360 miles from Minneapolis, Minnesota. The relatively flat area around Argyle is good for farming.

Due to its location in the Great Plains and its distance from both mountains and oceans, the city has an extreme continental climate. This type of climate is distinguished by four very distinct seasons and great variation in temperatures over very short periods of time. As there are no nearby mountain ranges or bodies of water to ameliorate the climatic conditions, Argyle lies exposed to numerous weather systems including bitterly cold Arctic high pressure systems. The city is known for its long, cold, and snowy winters. In sharp contrast, summers are warm to hot and often quite humid with frequent thunderstorms.

Find the Right Esthetician Vocational School near Argyle MN

Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is important to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the institution and program you decide on are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are prepared to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Argyle MN.