How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Florissant MO

How to Enroll In an Esthetician Program near Florissant Missouri

Florissant MO esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Florissant MO, the process starts to find and enroll in the right program. It’s essential that the program you select not only furnishes the necessary education for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may be rather confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll talk a bit further about that in the upcoming segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Florissant residence. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when assessing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the right choice. There are various other factors that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are offered.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Florissant MO Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic can be almost anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you go through some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Florissant MO beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many names and work in a wide variety of specialties including:

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

As earlier stated, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

Florissant MO esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two pathways offered to receive esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally call for 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you wish to focus on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Florissant MO business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you choose, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s certified by the Missouri Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the following segment.

Online Esthetician Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Florissant MO Online esthetician classes are advantageous for Florissant MO students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs available that can be accessed through a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools are often fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you’re not devoting many hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it’s imperative that the program you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion 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 decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Schools

Florissant MO models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you should research for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Florissant home, as well as the price of tuition, will most likely 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 choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have compiled some 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 certain 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 organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 63031 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Florissant MO businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. 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, attesting that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Florissant MO salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. Finally, contact the Missouri school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you pick 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 well regarded for that program. If your desire is to open a Florissant MO beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.

Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty school furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best option for developing your skills. So search for alternate schools that provide 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 aid in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish aid maintain relationships with Florissant MO businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? The majority of esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and identify 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 accessible to students too. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not discard it as an option before you find out what financial aid may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Florissant MO?

Perhaps you live in the Florissant Missouri 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.

Florissant, Missouri

Florissant (/ˈflɒrɪsənt/ ( listen)) is a second-ring suburb of St. Louis, located in northern St. Louis County, in the U.S. state of Missouri. Based on 2017 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the city had a total population of 51,443, making it the 13th-largest city in Missouri.

The exact date the first settlers went to the Valley of Florissant is unknown, but it is one of the oldest settlements in the state of Missouri. Some historians believe it was settled about the same time as St. Louis. The first civil government was formed in 1786. Spanish archives in Havana reveal 40 people and seven plantations were in Florissant at the time of the 1787 census. The village, called "Fleurissant", or "Blooming" in English, by its French settlers and "St. Ferdinand" by its Spanish rulers, was a typical French village with its commons and common fields.[6] Originally a separate town, and now an inner suburb of St. Louis, the community was centered on (and frequently called after) the parish of St. Ferdinand. As late as 1889, the town was predominantly French-speaking (while the southern portion of the metropolis was populated by German-speakers).[7] The first train line to the area was constructed in 1878—an extension of the line which went from St. Louis City to Normandy.[8] The last train to Florissant ran on November 14, 1931.[8]

Following World War II, Florissant went from a small village community to a large suburban center, as developers such as Alfred H. Mayer Co. began building subdivisions on what was formerly farmland and empty acreage. Around 18,000 houses were built between 1947 and 1980, and the population swelled to its peak of about 76,000 in the mid-1970s, making it the largest city in St. Louis County.[8]

Choose the Right Esthetician College near Florissant MO

Selecting and enrolling in the right esthetician program is essential to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to collect all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A good start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the academy and program you choose are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are prepared to start your career as a professional esthetician in Florissant MO.