How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Lake Placid NY

How to Find the Right Esthetician School near Lake Placid New York

Lake Placid NY esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Lake Placid NY, the process begins to search for and enroll in the best program. It’s important that the school you pick not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be a little bit unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a bit more about that in the upcoming segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Lake Placid residence. Tuition will likewise be an important factor when reviewing possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the right option. There are many other qualifications that you should weigh when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are available.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Lake Placid NY Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of 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 almost anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you go through some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Lake Placid NY beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a customer base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles and are employed in a wide range of specializations including:

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

As earlier stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, for example 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.

Esthetics Certificates and Degrees

Lake Placid 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) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally 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 trained in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Lake Placid NY business. More advanced degrees are not typical, 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 essential to make certain that it’s recognized by the New York Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following section.

Online Esthetician Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Lake Placid NY Online esthetician schools are advantageous for Lake Placid NY students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs offered that can be attended by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools are frequently fast paced since many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not devoting many hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it’s essential that the school you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Trade Schools

Lake Placid 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 considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Lake Placid home, together with the expense of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the esthetician training program you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national organization, 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 quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in 12946 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Lake Placid NY employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Lake Placid NY salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And finally, check with the New York school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in full 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, providing training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you select a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your objective 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 desire is to launch a Lake Placid NY beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school offers limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. So look for alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s important that he or she gets assistance in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish aid maintain relationships with Lake Placid NY employers that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? The majority of esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students as well. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you determine what financial aid may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Lake Placid NY?

Perhaps you live in the Lake Placid 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 Placid, New York

The village of Lake Placid is near the center of the town of North Elba, 50 miles (80 km) southwest of Plattsburgh. Lake Placid, along with nearby Saranac Lake and Tupper Lake, comprise what is known as the Tri-Lakes region. Lake Placid hosted the 1932 and the 1980 Winter Olympics. Lake Placid also hosted the 2000 Goodwill Games, the 1972 Winter Universiade and will host the 2023 Winter Universiade.

Lake Placid was founded in the early 19th century to develop an iron ore mining operation. By 1840, the population of "North Elba" (four miles southeast of the present village, near where the road to the Adirondak Loj crosses the Ausable River) was six families. In 1845, Gerrit Smith arrived in North Elba and not only bought a great deal of land around the village but granted large tracts to former slaves. He reformed the land law and demonstrated his support of Abolitionism.

The abolitionist John Brown heard about Smith's reforms, and left his anti-slavery activities in Kansas to buy 244 acres (1.0 km2) of land in North Elba. This parcel later became known as the "Freed Slave Utopian Experiment," Timbucto. Shortly before his execution in 1859, John Brown asked to be buried on his farm, which is preserved as the John Brown Farm State Historic Site.

Find the Right Esthetics College near Lake Placid NY

Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is imperative to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to collect all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the academy and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, 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 right choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are prepared to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Lake Placid NY.