How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Columbus NE

How to Find the Right Esthetics Program near Columbus Nebraska

Columbus NE esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Columbus NE, the task starts to find and enroll in the best program. It’s important that the school you select not only provides the proper instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you may be rather unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll talk a little bit more about that in the upcoming segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Columbus residence. Tuition will additionally be a critical consideration when evaluating potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the best choice. There are a number of other considerations that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are offered.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Columbus NE Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be almost anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you undergo some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Columbus NE beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a client base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional names and are employed in a wide variety of specialties including:

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

As earlier mentioned, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees and Certificates

Columbus NE esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two options offered to obtain 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 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 all of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, such as 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 Columbus NE business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you go with, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s approved by the Nebraska Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming segment.

Online Esthetician Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Columbus NE Online esthetician schools are advantageous for Columbus NE students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are often fast paced given that many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. However, it’s essential that the program you choose can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Degree Programs

Columbus NE models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you need to look into for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Columbus home, in addition to the price of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably 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 need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the esthetician school you pick 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 ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 68601 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 Columbus NE businesses 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 school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Columbus NE salon owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. Finally, check with the Nebraska school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you pick a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your objective is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your aspiration is to start a Columbus NE 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 pursuing will not provide the training you require.

Is Any Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician skills and techniques demands lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty academy furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. So try to find alternate schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s imperative that she or he gets help in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with Columbus NE employers that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? Most esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students as well. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not omit it as an option until you find out what financial assistance may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Columbus NE?

Perhaps you live in the Columbus Nebraska 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, Nebraska

In the 18th century, the area around the confluence of the Platte and the Loup Rivers was used by a variety of Native American tribes, including Pawnee, Otoe, Ponca, and Omaha.[5] The Pawnee are thought to have descended from the Protohistoric Lower Loup Culture;[6] the Otoe had moved from central Iowa into the lower Platte Valley in the early 18th century;[7] and the closely related Omaha and Ponca had moved from the vicinity of the Ohio River mouth, settling along the Missouri by the mid-18th century.[8] In 1720, Pawnee and Otoe allied with the French massacred the Spanish force led by Pedro de Villasur just south of the present site of Columbus.[9][10]

In the 19th century, the "Great Platte River Road"—the valley of the Platte and North Platte Rivers running from Fort Kearny to Fort Laramie— was the principal route of the westward expansion.[11] For travellers following the north bank of the Platte, the Loup River, with its soft banks and quicksands, represented a major obstacle. In the absence of a ferry or a bridge, most of these followed the Loup for a considerable distance upstream before attempting a crossing: the first major wave of Mormon emigrants, for instance, continued up that river to a point about three miles downstream from present-day Fullerton.[12]

The site of Columbus was settled by the Columbus Town Company on May 28, 1856. The group took its name from Columbus, Ohio, where most of the settlers had originally lived. The townsite was selected for its location on the proposed route of the transcontinental railroad.[13]:5

Choose the Right Esthetician School near Columbus NE

Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician school is essential to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to compile all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on 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 sure that the school and program you select are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, 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 ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Columbus NE.