How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Merrick NY

How to Enroll In an Esthetician Program near Merrick New York

Merrick NY esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Merrick NY, the task starts to locate and enroll in the best program. It’s imperative that the school you select not only provides the appropriate training for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you may be somewhat puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a little bit further concerning that in the next segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Merrick home. Tuition will likewise be an important aspect when evaluating potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the best option. There are a number of other qualifications that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are offered.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Merrick NY Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So naturally 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 may be almost anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you undergo some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Merrick NY beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional names and are employed in a wide range of specialties including:

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

As already stated, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

Merrick NY esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two avenues offered to receive 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 normally require 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree ordinarily takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you wish to focus on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Merrick NY business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you choose, it’s important to make certain that it’s recognized by the New York Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the next segment.

Online Esthetics Training

woman attending esthetician school online in Merrick NY Online esthetician programs are convenient for Merrick NY students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs offered that can be attended through a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are often fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it’s important that the training program 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 portion of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Degree Programs

Merrick NY models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you should investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Merrick home, in addition to the expense of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the esthetician training program you choose 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 assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in 11566 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Merrick NY employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Merrick NY salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may 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 complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating 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 important that you select a school that focuses on 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 dream is to start a Merrick 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 rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.

Is Any Live Training Provided? Studying and refining esthetician skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty school offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. So try to find alternate schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s essential that she or he receives help in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance maintain relationships with Merrick NY businesses that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may qualify 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 meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you learn what financial assistance may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Merrick NY?

Perhaps you live in the Merrick 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.

Merrick, New York

Merrick is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in the Town of Hempstead in Nassau County, New York, United States. As of the 2010 census[update], the CDP population was 22,097.[1] The name Merrick is taken from Meroke, the name (meaning peaceful) of the Algonquian tribe formerly indigenous to the area. It is served by the Merrick station on the Long Island Rail Road on the Babylon line.

As of the census of 2000[update], there were 22,764 people, 7,524 households, and 6,478 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 5,423.3 per square mile (2,092.7/km²). There were 7,602 housing units at an average density of 1,811.1/sq mi (698.8/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 95.2% White, 1.0% African American, 0.10% Native American, 2.24% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.94% from other races, and 0.98% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.70% of the population.[2][needs update]

There were 7,524 households out of which 42.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 76.0% were married couples living together, 7.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 13.9% were non-families. 11.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.02 and the average family size was 3.27.

Pick the Right Esthetician Program near Merrick NY

Choosing and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is essential to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Don’t forget to organize all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the school 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 ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are ready to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Merrick NY.