How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Lincoln NE

How to Find the Right Esthetician Program near Lincoln Nebraska

Lincoln NE esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Lincoln NE, the task starts to locate and enroll in the ideal program. It’s imperative that the program you pick not only provides the proper education for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you might be a little bit confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll speak a bit further 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 Lincoln home. Tuition will additionally be a critical factor when reviewing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the right choice. There are several other considerations that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are available.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Lincoln NE Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more beautiful through the application 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 term 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, most states require that you go through some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Lincoln NE beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have 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 already mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees

Lincoln NE esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two avenues 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 complete, while an Associate’s degree ordinarily 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 concentrate on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also most likely incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Lincoln NE business. More advanced degrees are not common, 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 important to make certain that it’s approved by the Nebraska Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming section.

Online Esthetician Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Lincoln NE Online esthetician programs are convenient for Lincoln NE students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are often fast paced because many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not spending numerous hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the school you choose can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Schools

Lincoln 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 considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Lincoln residence, together with the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn 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 need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled some of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make certain that the esthetician school you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized 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 ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in 68501 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Lincoln NE 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 Good Reputation? Any esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Lincoln NE salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. And last, contact the Nebraska school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently 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 intention 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 start a Lincoln NE beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Studying and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty program furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best option for developing your skills. So look for other schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s important that he or she gets aid in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide aid develop relationships with Lincoln NE businesses that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses 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 regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and find out 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 too. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an option until you determine what financial aid may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Lincoln NE?

Perhaps you live in the Lincoln 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.

Lincoln, Nebraska

Lincoln is the capital of the U.S. state of Nebraska and the county seat of Lancaster County. The city covers 94.267 square miles (244.150 km2) with a population of 284,736 in 2017. It is the second-most populous city in Nebraska and the 71st-largest in the United States. The city is the economic and cultural anchor of a substantially larger metropolitan area in the southeastern part of the state called the Lincoln Metropolitan and Lincoln-Beatrice Combined Statistical Areas. The statistical area is home to 353,120 people, making it the 106th-largest combined statistical area in the United States.

The city was founded in 1856 as the village of Lancaster on the wild salt marshes of what was to become Lancaster County. In 1867, the village of Lancaster became Nebraska's state capital and was renamed Lincoln. The Bertram G. Goodhue designed state capitol building was completed in 1932 and is the second tallest capitol in the United States. As the city is the seat of government for the state of Nebraska, the state and the United States government are major employers. The University of Nebraska was founded in Lincoln in 1867. The university is the largest in Nebraska with 26,079 students enrolled and is the city's third-largest employer. Other primary employers fall within the service and manufacturing industries, including a growing high-tech sector. The region makes up a part of what is known as the greater Midwest Silicon Prairie.

Designated as a "refugee-friendly" city by the U.S. Department of State in the 1970s, the city was the twelfth-largest resettlement site per capita in the United States by 2000. Refugee Vietnamese, Karen (Burmese ethnic minority), Sudanese and Yazidi (Iraqi ethnic minority) people, as well as other refugees from Iraq & the Middle East, have been resettled in the city. Lincoln Public Schools during the school year of 2017–18 provided support for approximately 3,100 students from 100 countries, who spoke 50 different languages.

Select the Right Esthetics Training Program near Lincoln NE

Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician school is essential to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to consolidate all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you pick are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Lincoln NE.