How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Potosi MO

How to Select an Esthetics Training Program near Potosi Missouri

Potosi MO esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Potosi MO, the task begins to find and enroll in the best program. It’s important that the program you select not only furnishes the appropriate training for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be a little bit confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a bit more about that in the next segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Potosi residence. Tuition will also be a critical factor when reviewing potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the best option. There are several other factors that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are looking at 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 Potosi MO Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word 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, most states mandate that you undergo some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Potosi MO beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a client base, 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 are known by many titles and work in a wide range of specializations 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 some states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

Potosi MO esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two avenues offered to obtain 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 complete, while an Associate’s degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you want to concentrate on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Potosi MO business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you go with, it’s essential to make certain that it’s certified by the Missouri Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming section.

Online Esthetics Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Potosi MO Online esthetician schools are convenient for Potosi MO students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are many web-based beauty school programs offered that can be accessed through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are often fast paced given that many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you’re not spending many hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the school you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. 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 Esthetician Degree Programs

Potosi MO 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 covered, the location of the school in relation to your Potosi home, in addition to the expense 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 even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have collected some of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make certain that the esthetician school you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified 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 obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 63664 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Potosi MO employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials 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. Check rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Potosi MO salon owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. Finally, contact the Missouri school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you decide on 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 vision is to launch a Potosi MO beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology courses 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 program provides limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best option for developing your skills. Therefore look for other schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s crucial that she or he receives assistance in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance maintain relationships with Potosi MO businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Almost all 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. Consult with a counselor and identify 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 offered to students as well. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you learn what financial aid may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Potosi MO?

Perhaps you live in the Potosi 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.

Potosi, Missouri

Potosi is a city in Washington County, Missouri, United States. Potosi is about 10 miles north of Belgrade. The population was 2,660 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Washington County.[6] The city was founded sometime between 1760 and 1780 as "Mine à Breton" or Mine au Breton, and later renamed by Moses Austin for the Bolivian silver-mining city of Potosí.[7]

A lead mining settlement at this spot, "Mine à Breton" or Mine au Breton, was founded between 1760 and 1780 by Francis Azor, of Brittany, France. Moses Austin came here in 1798 with his family, including his son Stephen F. Austin. Moses obtained a grant of 7,153 arpents of land from the Spanish Empire and started large-scale mining operations, building his town to support it. Moses named the town after Potosí in Bolivia, which was famous for its vast silver mines. Austin's tomb and the foundation of his home Durham Hall can still be seen. Another mining entrepreneur in Potosi at the time of Moses Austin was James Bryan. Firmin Rene Desloge, who emigrated from Nantes, France in 1822 as the progenitor of the Desloge Family in America, located in Potosi and established a mercantile, distillery, fur trading and lead smelting business. The Desloge lead mining business Desloge Lead Company and later Desloge Consolidated Lead Company was later relocated to Bonne Terre, MO and also Desloge, MO by his son Firmin V. Desloge.[8][9]

The Potosi Correctional Center, which opened in 1989, housed Missouri's death row and the state's executions were handled at the prison until 2005. The Potosi Center conducted all but one of the 62 Missouri executions between 1989 when capital punishment was reinstated and 2005 when executions were moved 25 miles east to the Eastern Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center in Bonne Terre, Missouri.[11]

Find the Right Esthetician Vocational School near Potosi MO

Locating and enrolling in the right esthetician college is essential to obtain the appropriate 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 certain to collect all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Potosi MO.