How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Amory MS

How to Select an Esthetician College near Amory Mississippi

Amory MS esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Amory MS, the process begins to locate and enroll in the ideal program. It’s imperative that the program you choose not only provides the appropriate education for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you may be a little bit puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a little bit further about that in the next section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Amory residence. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when reviewing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the right choice. There are various other qualifications that you should weigh when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Amory MS Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So naturally 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 basically a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you take some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Amory MS beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many titles 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 previously stated, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees and Certificates

Amory MS esthetician client with face mask There are basically two options offered to obtain 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 normally require 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you want to specialize in just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Amory MS business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you go with, it’s essential to make certain that it’s recognized by the Mississippi Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next section.

Online Esthetics Training

woman attending esthetician school online in Amory MS Online esthetician schools are advantageous for Amory MS students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based beauty school programs offered that can be attended via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are typically fast paced because many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not spending numerous hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the program you choose can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Training Programs

Amory MS models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a list of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Amory residence, in addition to the expense of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the esthetician training program 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 guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 38821 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Amory MS businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Check rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Amory MS salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And last, check with the Mississippi school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints 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 areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you pick a school that specializes in 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 respected for that program. If your aspiration is to start a Amory MS 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 seeking will not deliver the training you need.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty school furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s crucial that she or he gets help in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance maintain relationships with Amory MS employers that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Almost all esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask 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 accessible to students as well. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not drop it as an option until you determine what financial help may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Amory MS?

Perhaps you live in the Amory Mississippi 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.

Amory, Mississippi

Amory began as a planned railroad town. The Kansas City, Memphis & Birmingham Railroad needed a midpoint between Memphis, Tennessee and Birmingham, Alabama for their locomotives, and they laid out the new town of Amory in 1887. People from nearby Cotton Gin Port on the Tombigbee River abandoned their town and moved to Amory.

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 7,316 people residing in the city. 69.5% were White, 29.0% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 0.3% from some other race and 0.7% of two or more races. 1.4% were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 6,956 people, 2,876 households, and 1,903 families residing in the city. The population density was 927.2 people per square mile (358.1/km2). There were 3,147 housing units at an average density of 419.5 per square mile (162.0/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 69.85% White, 29.18% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.06% Asian, 0.16% from other races, and 0.63% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.79% of the population.

Choose the Right Esthetician School near Amory MS

Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is essential to get the proper 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 compile all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the academy and program you decide on are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are ready to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Amory MS.