How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Glens Falls NY

How to Choose an Esthetician School near Glens Falls New York

Glens Falls NY esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Glens Falls NY, the process starts to locate and enroll in the right program. It’s imperative that the program you pick not only provides the appropriate training for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you may be somewhat unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll talk a little bit further concerning that in the next section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Glens Falls home. Tuition will also be an important aspect when assessing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the best option. 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 looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are offered.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Glens Falls NY Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic can be anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you take some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Glens Falls NY beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a clientele, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles and are employed in a wide variety of specializations including:

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

As already mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, such as 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.

Esthetics Certificates and Degrees

Glens Falls NY esthetician client with face mask There are basically two avenues offered to obtain 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 generally take 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you prefer to specialize in just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Glens Falls NY business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you decide on, it’s important to make certain that it’s certified by the New York Board of Cosmetology. Many states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the next section.

Online Esthetics Schools

woman attending esthetician school online in Glens Falls NY Online esthetician schools are convenient for Glens Falls NY students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online cosmetology school programs available that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are frequently fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not spending numerous hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the school you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Programs

Glens Falls NY 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 already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Glens Falls home, together with the cost of tuition, will most likely be your primary 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 choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make certain that the esthetician training program you pick 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in 12801 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Glens Falls NY employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Glens Falls NY salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And last, consult the New York school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive 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 broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you choose a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your goal 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 aspiration is to open a Glens Falls 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 Any Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty school furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. So search for other schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s crucial that he or she gets help in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide assistance maintain relationships with Glens Falls NY employers that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, 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 Aid Available? Most esthetician schools offer 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 find out what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students too. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not omit it as an alternative until you find out what financial assistance may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Glens Falls NY?

Perhaps you live in the Glens Falls 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.

Glens Falls, New York

Glens Falls is a city in Warren County, New York, United States and is the central city of the Glens Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area.[4] The population was 14,700 at the 2010 census.[5] The name was given by Colonel Johannes Glen, the falls referring to a large waterfall in the Hudson River at the southern end of the city.[6]

Glens Falls is a city located in the southeast corner of Warren County, surrounded by the town of Queensbury to the north, east, and west, and by the Hudson River and Saratoga County to the south. Glens Falls is known as "Hometown U.S.A.", a title given to it by Look Magazine in 1944. The city has also referred to itself in the past as the "Empire City."[7]

As a halfway point between Fort Edward and Fort William Henry, the falls was the site of several battles during the French and Indian War and the Revolutionary War. The then-hamlet was mostly destroyed by fire twice during the latter conflict, forcing the Quakers to abandon the settlement until the war ended in 1783. Fire also ravaged the village in 1864, 1884, and 1902.[7]

Find the Right Esthetics Vocational School near Glens Falls NY

Locating and enrolling in the right esthetician school is imperative to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to collect all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data 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 impressive reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Glens Falls NY.