How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Mississippi State MS

How to Select an Esthetics School near Mississippi State Mississippi

Mississippi State MS esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Mississippi State MS, the process starts to find and enroll in the best program. It’s important that the program you choose not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be rather unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a bit further about that in the next section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Mississippi State home. Tuition will additionally be an important factor when assessing potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the best 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 concerning the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are offered.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Mississippi State MS Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are described 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, most states mandate that you go through some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Mississippi State MS beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a customer base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional names and are employed in a wide variety of specializations 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 certain states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees and Certificates

Mississippi State MS 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 pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally call for 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 all of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you want to specialize in just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Mississippi State MS business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you opt for, it’s imperative 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, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the next segment.

Online Esthetics Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Mississippi State MS Online esthetician classes are convenient for Mississippi State MS students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online beauty school programs available that can be accessed via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are often fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a substantial amount 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 outside of your home or commuting to and from classes. However, it’s vital that the school you choose can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Degree Programs

Mississippi State 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 already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Mississippi State home, in addition to the cost of tuition, will probably be your initial 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 additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled some of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the esthetician school you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 39762 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Mississippi State MS employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Mississippi State MS salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. Finally, contact 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 Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you pick a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your desire is to start a Mississippi State MS beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Enough Live Training Provided? Practicing and refining esthetician techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty 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 academy offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. Therefore look for other schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s important that she or he receives aid in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance maintain relationships with Mississippi State MS employers that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? Almost all esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students too. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not omit it as an alternative until you determine what financial help may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Mississippi State MS?

Perhaps you live in the Mississippi State 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.

Mississippi State University

The Mississippi State University for Agriculture and Applied Science,[6][7] commonly known as Mississippi State University (MSU), is a comprehensive land-grant and public research university located adjacent to the city of Starkville in an unincorporated area of Oktibbeha County, Mississippi.[8][9] With 21,353 students at its main campus, it is the largest campus by enrollment in the state.[10] It is classified in the category of "R2: Doctoral Universities – Higher Research Activity" by the Carnegie Foundation and has a total research and development budget of $239.4 million, the largest in Mississippi.[11] It is listed as one of the state's flagship universities.[12][13]

The university was chartered as Mississippi Agricultural & Mechanical College on February 28, 1878 and admitted its first students in 1880. Organized into 12 colleges and schools, the university offers over 180 baccalaureate, graduate, and professional degree programs,[14] and is home to Mississippi's only accredited programs in architecture and veterinary medicine. Mississippi State participates in the National Sea Grant College Program and National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program. The university's main campus in Starkville is supplemented by auxiliary campuses in Meridian, Biloxi, and Vicksburg, Mississippi. The 19th and current president of Mississippi State is Mark E. Keenum, a former United States Under Secretary of Agriculture.

Mississippi State's intercollegiate sports teams, known as the Mississippi State Bulldogs, compete in NCAA Division I athletics as members of the Southeastern Conference's western division. Mississippi State was a founding member of the SEC in 1932. In their more-than 120-year history, the Bulldogs have won 21 individual national championships[15] and 30 regular season conference championships. The school is noted for a pervasive baseball fan culture,[16] with Dudy Noble Field holding 17 of the top 25 all-time NCAA attendance records and the school's Left Field Lounge being described as an epicenter of college baseball.[17]

Enroll in the Right Esthetics Training Program near Mississippi State MS

Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician college is essential to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the institution and program you pick are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Mississippi State MS.