How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Columbus MS

How to Choose an Esthetics School near Columbus Mississippi

Columbus MS esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Columbus MS, the process starts to search for and enroll in the right program. It’s important that the school you select not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you might be a little bit unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a bit more concerning that in the upcoming section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Columbus home. Tuition will also be a critical factor when reviewing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the ideal choice. There are many other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are available.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Columbus MS Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you undergo some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Columbus MS beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many names 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 mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees and Certificates

Columbus MS esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two avenues available to get esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically require 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you want to concentrate on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Columbus MS 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 decide on, it’s essential to make certain that it’s approved by the Mississippi Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the next section.

Online Esthetics Programs

woman attending esthetician school online in Columbus MS Online esthetician classes are advantageous for Columbus MS students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are frequently fast paced given that many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not spending numerous hours away from your home or commuting to and from classes. However, it’s important that the program you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Training Programs

Columbus MS models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you need to research for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Columbus residence, as well as the price of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the esthetician training program you enroll in 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 meet their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in 39701 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Columbus MS businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. 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, showing that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Columbus MS salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. And finally, consult the Mississippi 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 Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you select 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 respected for that program. If your aspiration is to launch a Columbus MS beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.

Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty program furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best option for acquiring your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s important that he or she gets help in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide assistance maintain relationships with Columbus MS employers that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? The majority of esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may 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 cost, do not drop it as an option before you determine what financial assistance may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Columbus MS?

Perhaps you live in the Columbus 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.

Columbus, Mississippi

Columbus is a city in and the county seat of Lowndes County, on the eastern border of Mississippi, United States,[2] located primarily east, but also north and northeast of the Tombigbee River, which is also referred to as the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway. It is approximately 146 miles (235 km) northeast of Jackson, 92 miles (148 km) north of Meridian, 63 miles (101 km) south of Tupelo, 60 miles (97 km) northwest of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and 120 miles (193 km) west of Birmingham, Alabama.[3]

The population was 25,944 at the 2000 census and 23,640 in 2010.[4] The population in 2012 was estimated to be 23,452.[4] Columbus is the principal city of the Columbus Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of the larger Columbus-West Point Combined Statistical Area. Columbus is also part of the area of Mississippi called The Golden Triangle, consisting of Columbus, West Point and Starkville, in the counties of Lowndes, Clay and Oktibbeha.

The first record of the site of Columbus in Western history is found in the annals of the explorer Hernando de Soto, who is reputed to have crossed the nearby Tombigbee River on his search for El Dorado. However, the site does not enter the main continuity of United States history until December 1810, when John Pitchlynn, the U.S. Indian agent and interpreter for the Choctaw Nation, moved to Plymouth Bluff, where he built a home, established a farm, and transacted Choctaw Agency business.

Choose the Right Esthetics Vocational School near Columbus MS

Choosing and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is important to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to collect all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are qualified to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Columbus MS.