How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Brookhaven NY

How to Find the Right Esthetics School near Brookhaven New York

Brookhaven NY esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Brookhaven NY, the process begins to find and enroll in the best program. It’s imperative that the program you pick not only furnishes the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you might be a little bit confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a little bit further concerning 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 Brookhaven residence. Tuition will additionally be an important factor when evaluating prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the ideal option. There are a number of other factors that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are offered.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Brookhaven NY 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 many cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you take some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Brookhaven NY beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a customer base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known 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 formerly mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

Brookhaven NY esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two pathways offered to get esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally call for 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 trained in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Brookhaven NY 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 important to make certain that it’s approved by the New York Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming segment.

Online Esthetician Courses

woman attending esthetician school online in Brookhaven NY Online esthetician classes are accommodating for Brookhaven NY students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are often fast paced since many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not spending numerous hours away from your home or commuting to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Training Programs

Brookhaven NY models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you should research for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Brookhaven home, as well as the cost of tuition, will most likely be your first 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 preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the esthetician training program you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized 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 guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 11719 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Brookhaven NY 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 Good Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding 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, attesting that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Brookhaven NY salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. Finally, check with the New York 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? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering 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 important that you pick a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your objective is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your dream is to open a Brookhaven 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 rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best option for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for other schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s important that she or he gets help in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develop relationships with Brookhaven NY employers that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Most 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. Consult with a counselor and learn 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 offered to students also. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an alternative before you determine what financial aid may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Brookhaven NY?

Perhaps you live in the Brookhaven 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.

Brookhaven, New York

The Town of Brookhaven is the most populous of the ten towns of Suffolk County, New York, United States. Part of the New York metropolitan area, it is located approximately 50 miles from Manhattan. It is the only town in the county that stretches from the North Shore to the South Shore of Long Island. It is the largest of New York State's 932 towns (by area with water), and the second most populous, exceeded only by the Town of Hempstead.[3]

The first settlement in what is now Brookhaven was known as Setauket. Founded as a group of agricultural hamlets in the mid-17th century, Brookhaven first expanded as a major center of shipbuilding in the 19th century. Its proximity to New York City facilitated the establishment of resort communities and then a post-war population boom. In the 2010 census record Brookhaven contained 486,040 people.[4]

The township is home to two renowned Research centers, Stony Brook University and Brookhaven National Laboratory. Combined these two research centers are approximately 50% of the Town's top ten employer's employee count. Tourism is also a major part of the local economy. The largest traditional downtowns are located in Port Jefferson, a regional transportation hub, and Patchogue. The area has long been serviced by the Long Island Railroad and Bridgeport & Port Jefferson Ferry.

Select the Right Esthetician Vocational School near Brookhaven NY

Picking and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is essential to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Make certain to collect all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the academy and program you decide on are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Brookhaven NY.