How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Bridgeport NJ

How to Choose an Esthetician School near Bridgeport New Jersey

Bridgeport NJ esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Bridgeport NJ, the process starts to find and enroll in the ideal program. It’s essential that the program you select not only furnishes the proper training for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may be rather confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a bit further regarding that in the following section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Bridgeport home. Tuition will also be a critical consideration when reviewing possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the ideal choice. There are many 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 considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are available.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Bridgeport NJ Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more attractive with the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term 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, most states require that you undergo some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Bridgeport NJ beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a customer base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles and are employed in a wide range of specialties including:

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

As previously stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees

Bridgeport NJ esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two options available to get esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally require 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 trained in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you wish to concentrate on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Bridgeport NJ business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you decide on, it’s essential to make certain that it’s certified by the New Jersey Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming section.

Online Esthetician Schools

woman attending esthetician school online in Bridgeport NJ Online esthetician programs are accommodating for Bridgeport NJ students who are employed full-time and have family commitments that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are often fast paced because many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you’re not spending many hours away from your home or commuting to and from classes. However, it’s imperative that the training program you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So be 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

Bridgeport NJ models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a list of questions that you need to research for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Bridgeport home, as well as the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have collected several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the esthetician training program you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 08014 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Bridgeport NJ employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Bridgeport NJ salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. And finally, contact the New Jersey school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas 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 imperative that you enroll in a school that specializes in 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 aspiration is to start a Bridgeport NJ beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty classes 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 offers little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. Therefore look for other schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s important that he or she gets support in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develop relationships with Bridgeport NJ businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Most esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Consult 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 offered to students also. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an option until you determine what financial help may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Bridgeport NJ?

Perhaps you live in the Bridgeport New Jersey 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.

Bridgeport, New Jersey

Bridgeport, along with Swedesboro, was one of only two settlements established in New Jersey as a part of the New Sweden colony, the fort at Nya Elfsborg having been abandoned. It was originally called New Stockholm, but the name was changed at a later date.[5][6]

Bridgeport lies along the Delaware River at the mouth of the Raccoon Creek. US 322 enters New Jersey in Bridgeport via the Commodore Barry Bridge, and continues on to cross US 130 and Interstate 295 before leaving Logan Township. Route 44 is an old alignment of US 130, beginning at a point north of US 322. Route 324 is an east-west state highway completely within Bridgeport, running from where a ferry used to take US 322 across the river to a dead end next to the current US 322. Bridgeport Speedway is located in the community. There is a private marina and a small airfield in town, and a Penns Grove Secondary line crosses Raccoon Creek at the Conrail Railroad Bridge in Bridgeport at mile 2.0.

Find the Right Esthetician Vocational School near Bridgeport NJ

Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is imperative to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident 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 utilize that data to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and address 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. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Bridgeport NJ.