How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Albany NY

How to Select an Esthetics Training Program near Albany New York

Albany NY esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Albany NY, the task starts to find and enroll in the ideal program. It’s essential that the school you pick not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you may be a little bit unclear about the distinction 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 talk a bit further about that in the next section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Albany residence. Tuition will likewise be an important aspect when evaluating prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the right choice. There are many other factors that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are available.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Albany NY Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you undergo some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Albany NY beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a clientele, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many professional names and work in a wide variety of specialties including:

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

As previously mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain 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, such as shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees and Certificates

Albany NY esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two avenues offered to get 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 usually 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 all of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also most likely incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Albany NY business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you choose, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s certified by the New York Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next segment.

Online Esthetics Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Albany NY Online esthetician classes are convenient for Albany NY students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are many web-based beauty school programs offered that can be accessed via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced given that many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it’s imperative that the program you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Programs

Albany NY models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you will want to research for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Albany residence, together with the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together some of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the esthetician college you choose 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 12201 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Albany NY businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Albany NY salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. Finally, consult the New York school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you decide on 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 respected for that program. If your aspiration is to start a Albany NY beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Practicing and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on people. Check 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 enable students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best option for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that furnish 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 gets aid in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with Albany NY employers that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? The majority of esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and learn 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 as well. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you learn what financial help may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Albany NY?

Perhaps you live in the Albany New York 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.

Albany, New York

Albany (/ˈɔːlbəni/ ( listen) ALL-bə-nee) is the capital of the U.S. state of New York and the seat of Albany County. Albany is located on the west bank of the Hudson River approximately 10 miles (16 km) south of its confluence with the Mohawk River and approximately 150 miles (240 km) north of New York City.

Albany is known for its rich history, commerce, culture, architecture, and institutions of higher education. Albany constitutes the economic and cultural core of the Capital District of New York State, which comprises the Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area, including the nearby cities and suburbs of Troy, Schenectady, and Saratoga Springs. With a 2013 Census-estimated population of 1.1 million [6] the Capital District is the third-most populous metropolitan region in the state and 38th in the United States.[7][8] As of the 2010 census, the population of Albany was 97,856.

The area that later became Albany was settled by Dutch colonists who in 1614, built Fort Nassau for fur trading and, in 1624, built Fort Orange. In 1664, the English took over the Dutch settlements, renaming the city as Albany, in honor of the then Duke of Albany, the future James II of England and James VII of Scotland. The city was officially chartered in 1686 under English rule. It became the capital of New York in 1797 following formation of the United States. Albany is one of the oldest surviving settlements of the original British thirteen colonies, and is the longest continuously chartered city in the United States.[9]

Pick the Right Esthetician Vocational School near Albany NY

Finding and enrolling in the right esthetician school is essential to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to compile all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the academy 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 provided in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Albany NY.