How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Plymouth NH

How to Select an Esthetician School near Plymouth New Hampshire

Plymouth NH esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Plymouth NH, the process begins to locate and enroll in the ideal program. It’s essential that the program you select not only provides the necessary training for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be a little bit unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a bit further regarding that in the upcoming section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Plymouth home. Tuition will likewise be an important factor when reviewing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the right option. There are various other considerations that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are available.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Plymouth NH Cosmetology is an occupation 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. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be 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 type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Plymouth NH beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a client base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles and are employed in a wide range of specializations including:

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

As earlier stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, such as 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

Plymouth NH esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two options available to obtain 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 usually call for 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you want to concentrate on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also probably include management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Plymouth NH business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you choose, it’s essential to make sure that it’s recognized by the New Hampshire Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the following section.

Online Esthetics Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Plymouth NH Online esthetician schools are convenient for Plymouth NH students who are working full time and have family commitments that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs offered that can be accessed through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are often fast paced because many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you’re not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the school you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Training Programs

Plymouth NH models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a list of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Plymouth residence, together with the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have collected some of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the School 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 recognized local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 03264 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Plymouth NH employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. 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, showing that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Plymouth NH 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 looked into. And last, check with the New Hampshire 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 Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you select a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your desire is to open a Plymouth NH beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty program offers little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. So try to find alternate schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s essential that he or she receives support in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer help develop relationships with Plymouth NH businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students too. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you determine what financial aid may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Plymouth NH?

Perhaps you live in the Plymouth New Hampshire 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.

Plymouth, New Hampshire

Plymouth is a town in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States, in the White Mountains Region. Plymouth is located at the convergence of the Pemigewasset and Baker rivers. The population was 6,990 at the 2010 census.[1] The town is home to Plymouth State University, Speare Memorial Hospital, and Plymouth Regional High School.

The town's central settlement, where 4,456 people resided at the 2010 census[2] (a large number of whom are Plymouth State students), is defined as the Plymouth census-designated place (CDP), and is located along U.S. Route 3, south of the confluence of the Baker and Pemigewasset rivers.

Plymouth was originally the site of an Abenaki village that was burned to the ground by Captain Thomas Baker in 1712. This was just one of the many British raids on American Indian settlements during Queen Anne's War. Part of a large plot of undivided land in the Pemigewasset Valley, the town was first named New Plymouth, after the original Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts. Colonial Governor Benning Wentworth granted Plymouth to settlers from Hollis, all of whom had been soldiers in the French and Indian War. Some had originally come from Plymouth, Massachusetts. The town was incorporated in 1763.[3] Parts of Hebron and Campton were annexed in 1845 and 1860.

Pick the Right Esthetics School near Plymouth NH

Choosing and enrolling in the right esthetician program is important to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to collect 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 compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the institution and program you choose are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are prepared to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Plymouth NH.