How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Southaven MS

How to Choose an Esthetics College near Southaven Mississippi

Southaven MS esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Southaven MS, the task starts to locate and enroll in the best program. It’s important that the school you choose not only provides the necessary education for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be rather unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a little bit more regarding that in the upcoming segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Southaven home. Tuition will likewise be an important aspect when assessing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not always the ideal option. There are various other qualifications that you should weigh when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are available.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Southaven MS Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be 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 kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Southaven MS beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a client base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many titles and are employed in a wide range of specialties including:

Estheticians
Hairdressers
Hairstylists
Beauticians
Barbers
Manicurists
Nail Technicians
Makeup Artists
Hair Coloring Specialists
Electrolysis Technicians

As formerly stated, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, for instance 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.

Esthetics Degrees and Certificates

Southaven MS esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two avenues offered to get esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually call for 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 each of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you want to focus on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Southaven MS business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you opt for, it’s important to make certain that it’s recognized by the Mississippi Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming segment.

Online Esthetician Courses

woman attending esthetician school online in Southaven MS Online esthetician programs are convenient for Southaven MS students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be attended by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are often fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not spending numerous hours away from your home or driving to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the program you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Schools

Southaven MS models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you should investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Southaven residence, in addition to the cost of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably 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 should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make certain that the esthetician college you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 38671 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Southaven MS employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Southaven MS salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. Finally, contact 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 Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you select a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your goal is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your vision is to launch a Southaven MS beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and refining esthetician skills and techniques involves lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty program provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. So try to find alternate schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s imperative that she or he gets assistance in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide assistance develop relationships with Southaven MS employers that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students as well. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an option before you learn what financial assistance may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Southaven MS?

Perhaps you live in the Southaven 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.

Southaven, Mississippi

Southaven is a city in DeSoto County, Mississippi, United States. It is a suburb of Memphis, Tennessee, and a principal city in the Memphis metropolitan area. The 2010 census reported a population of 48,982,[3] making Southaven the third-largest city in Mississippi and the second most populous suburb of Memphis.[5] Southaven is traversed from north to south by the I-55/I-69 freeway. The city's name derives from the fact that Southaven is located south of Whitehaven, a neighborhood in Memphis.

Southaven began as a village when Memphis homebuilder Kemmons Wilson (founder of Holiday Inn) wished to develop a few residential subdivisions featuring small starter homes just across the Mississippi border from Whitehaven, Tennessee, an unincorporated suburb of Memphis. Whitehaven was eventually annexed by Memphis. Officially incorporated in 1980, Southaven is one of the fastest-growing cities in the southeastern United States.[citation needed] In just 20 years, Southaven doubled its land area, while its population tripled.

The construction of Interstate 55 through Southaven in the 1970s helped to promote growth and make for easier access to the city from Memphis, Jackson, St. Louis, and Chicago. Interstate 69, which will eventually run from Canada to Mexico, was cosigned with I-55 in Southaven in 2007.[6]

Select the Right Esthetics College near Southaven MS

Locating and enrolling in the right esthetician program is essential to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to collect all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Southaven MS.