How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Highland Falls NY

How to Select an Esthetics Course near Highland Falls New York

Highland Falls NY esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Highland Falls NY, the process begins to locate and enroll in the right program. It’s imperative that the school you choose not only provides the proper education for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you may be a little bit unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a little bit further regarding that in the following segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Highland Falls residence. Tuition will additionally be a critical factor when assessing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the ideal choice. There are various other qualifications that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are available.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Highland Falls NY Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more attractive through the use 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 term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you take some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Highland Falls NY beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a client base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own residences or will go 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 previously stated, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

Highland Falls NY esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two avenues 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 take 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you want to focus on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also probably include management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Highland 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. Whatever type of course you choose, it’s important to make certain that it’s certified by the New York Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming segment.

Online Esthetics Courses

woman attending esthetician school online in Highland Falls NY Online esthetician schools are accommodating for Highland Falls NY students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs available that can be attended via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are typically fast paced since many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you’re not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the school you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Programs

Highland Falls NY models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you will want to look into for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Highland Falls home, in addition to the cost of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want 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 even more factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have put together several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make certain that the esthetician school 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 measure up to their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in 10928 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Highland Falls NY employers will not hire 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 college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references 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 sought after. Check rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Highland Falls NY salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And last, check with the New York school licensing authority to see 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 comprehensive 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 typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you decide on a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your intention 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 launch a Highland 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 regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Practicing and mastering esthetician skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty school furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore look for other schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s important that she or he receives assistance in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide assistance maintain relationships with Highland Falls NY businesses that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Many esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students too. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not omit it as an option until you learn what financial aid may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Highland Falls NY?

Perhaps you live in the Highland 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.

Highland Falls, New York

Highland Falls, formerly named Buttermilk Falls, is a village in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 3,900 at the 2010 census. The village was founded in 1906. 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.

As of the census[4] of 2010, there were 3,900 people, 1,647 households, and 988 families residing in the village. The population density was 3,546.1 people per square mile (1,369.2/km2). There were 1,793 housing units at an average density of 1,630.3 per square mile (629.5/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 70.4% White, 13.0% African American, 2.3% Asian, 0.8% Native American or Alaskan Native, 9.1% from other races, and 4.4% from two or more races. 18.7% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 1,647 households out of which 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.9% were married couples living together, 14.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.0% were non-families. 34.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 3.07.

Enroll in the Right Esthetician Program near Highland Falls NY

Locating and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is imperative to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Don’t forget to collect all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Highland Falls NY.