How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Fishkill NY

How to Find the Right Esthetics College near Fishkill New York

Fishkill NY esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Fishkill NY, the process starts to find and enroll in the best program. It’s imperative that the program you choose not only provides the appropriate training for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be a little bit puzzled about the difference 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 talk a little bit further regarding that in the upcoming section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Fishkill home. Tuition will also be an important consideration when assessing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not always the best choice. There are a number of other qualifications that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review 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 programs are offered.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Fishkill NY Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more attractive with the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic can be anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you take some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Fishkill NY beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have 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 formerly stated, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

Fishkill NY 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 typically 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. Shorter programs are offered if you want to specialize in just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Fishkill NY business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you opt for, it’s important to make certain that it’s recognized by the New York Board of Cosmetology. Many states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the next segment.

Online Esthetics Training

woman attending esthetician school online in Fishkill NY Online esthetician programs are accommodating for Fishkill NY students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are often fast paced given that many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online 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. On the other hand, it’s essential that the program you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Training Programs

Fishkill NY models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Fishkill residence, together with the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want 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 should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the esthetician school you select 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 12524 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Fishkill NY businesses will not employ 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 school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Fishkill NY salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. Finally, contact the New York school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you select a school that focuses on 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 vision is to start a Fishkill NY beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Practicing and mastering esthetician skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty academy offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for developing your skills. Therefore search for other schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s imperative that he or she receives assistance in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance maintain relationships with Fishkill NY businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Almost all esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing 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 accessible to students as well. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not omit it as an alternative before you determine what financial help may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Fishkill NY?

Perhaps you live in the Fishkill 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.

Fishkill, New York

Fishkill is a village within the town of Fishkill in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The village population was 2,171 at the 2010 census.[2] It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the larger New York–Newark–Bridgeport, NY-NJ-CT-PA Combined Statistical Area.

Fishkill is located in the former territory of the Wappinger people. It was part of the Rombout Patent granted to Francis Rombouts, Gulian VerPlanck, and Stephanus Van Cortlandt of New Amsterdam in 1685. The name "Fishkill" evolved from two Dutch words, vis (fish) and kil (stream or creek).[3] In 1714, Dutch immigrants settled in the area. The village of Fishkill was a significant crossroads in the overland transportation network in the 18th and 19th centuries. The Kings Highway, connecting Albany to New York City, intersected with a major overland route from New England to the Hudson River.[4] Among the first to occupy the land now within the village limits were Johannes Ter Boss and Henry Rosecrance.[5]

By 1716 the settlers wanted their own Dutch Reformed church so they would not have to cross the river to Kingston or New Paltz to worship. A congregation was established and the church building was finished in 1731. The first Dominie (minister) who arrived from the Netherlands in 1731 served churches in Poughkeepsie and Fishkill. The church was used as a military prison during the American Revolution. The fourth New York Provincial Congress met in the church in 1776, making Fishkill the state capital, until the Congress moved to Kingston in 1777.[6]

Enroll in the Right Esthetician School near Fishkill NY

Locating and enrolling in the right esthetician college is important to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Don’t forget to organize all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the academy and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and answer 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 new career as a professional esthetician in Fishkill NY.