How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Lake Grove NY

How to Enroll In an Esthetician Course near Lake Grove New York

Lake Grove NY esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Lake Grove NY, the process begins to search for and enroll in the ideal program. It’s essential that the school you pick not only provides the necessary instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps 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 names are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll speak 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 Lake Grove home. Tuition will likewise be an important factor when reviewing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the best choice. There are many other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are available.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Lake Grove NY Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human anatomy look more attractive through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you undergo some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Lake Grove NY beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a client base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many professional names 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 formerly stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetics Certificates and Degrees

Lake Grove NY esthetician client with face mask There are basically two avenues offered to get 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 all of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also probably include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Lake Grove NY business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you go with, it’s essential to make sure that it’s approved by the New York Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following segment.

Online Esthetician Programs

woman attending esthetician school online in Lake Grove NY Online esthetician classes are accommodating for Lake Grove NY students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are often fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it’s imperative that the training program you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order 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 required to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Programs

Lake Grove NY models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a list of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Lake Grove residence, together with the price of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the esthetician training program you enroll in 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 meet their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 11755 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Lake Grove NY businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Lake Grove NY salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. Finally, contact 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 expansive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you enroll in 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 dream is to start a Lake Grove NY beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty program furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on using mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for developing your skills. So search for alternate schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s essential that he or she gets support in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid develop relationships with Lake Grove NY businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? Many esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and learn 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 offered to students as well. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not omit it as an option until you determine what financial aid may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Lake Grove NY?

Perhaps you live in the Lake Grove 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.

Lake Grove, New York

Lake Grove is a village in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 11,163 at the 2010 census. The village is located in the town of Brookhaven. The village is officially known as the Incorporated Village of Lake Grove.

Lake Grove is a popular commercial area in Suffolk County, including stores and attractions such as the Smith Haven Mall, Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, and other large chain stores including DSW. Additional stores and attractions are located nearby in Nesconset, Stony Brook and South Setauket.

The village features a number of different styles and prices of housing, including many well-maintained developments such as Crestwood Forest, Lake Grove Estates, Country Pointe, The Pines, Brittany Hills, and Country Woods. The village also has a number of parks, recreational facilities, and a nature preserve for residents to enjoy.

Find the Right Esthetician Vocational School near Lake Grove NY

Locating and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is imperative to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to consolidate all of the responses you get from the beauty 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 process is to make sure that the school and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, 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 right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are prepared to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Lake Grove NY.