How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Palisades NY

How to Pick an Esthetics Course near Palisades New York

Palisades 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 Palisades NY, the process begins to find and enroll in the right program. It’s imperative that the program you choose not only provides the proper training for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin 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 titles are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a little bit more regarding that in the next section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Palisades residence. Tuition will additionally be a critical aspect when evaluating potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the ideal choice. There are various other qualifications that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are offered.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Palisades NY Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be almost anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you take some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Palisades NY beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a customer base, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles and work in a wide variety of specializations including:

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

As earlier mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees

Palisades NY esthetician client with face mask There are basically two pathways available to get 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 call for 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. Shorter programs are available if you want to concentrate on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Palisades NY business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you choose, it’s essential to make certain that it’s approved by the New York Board of Cosmetology. Many states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming segment.

Online Esthetician Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Palisades NY Online esthetician classes are convenient for Palisades NY students who are working full-time and have family commitments that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are frequently fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a substantial portion 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 travelling to and from classes. However, it’s important that the 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 portion of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Schools

Palisades NY models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you need to look into for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Palisades home, in addition to the price of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you need to 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 10964 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Palisades NY employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. 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, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Palisades NY salon owners or managers, or anyone 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, check with the New York school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you pick a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your vision is to open a Palisades 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 regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Enough Live Training Provided? Studying and refining esthetician skills and techniques demands lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty academy furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. So try to find alternate schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s crucial that he or she gets support in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance maintain relationships with Palisades NY businesses that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Almost all esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and identify 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 too. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an option until you determine what financial aid may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Palisades NY?

Perhaps you live in the Palisades 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.

Palisades, New York

Palisades, formerly known as Sneden's Landing, (pronounced SNEE-dens) is a hamlet in the Town of Orangetown in Rockland County, New York, United States, located north of Rockleigh and Alpine, New Jersey; east of Tappan; south of Sparkill; and west of the Hudson River.

The hamlet has no mayor, nor any official legislative bodies. It does, however, have its own library, and post office with the zip code 10964 and served by the 359 exchange in Area Code 845. It is almost entirely residential with the exception of a small industrial area section on the Tappan border. The area commonly referred to as Snedens Landing is located within the eastern portion of Palisades between U.S. Route 9W and the Hudson River.

The hamlet has a registered historic district known as the Closter Road - Oak Tree Road Historic District. The district comprises the area from the north side of Closter Road and south side of Oak Tree Road approximately 1/2 mile west of US Route 9W in Palisades. (List of Registered Historic Places in Rockland County, New York)

Find the Right Esthetics Vocational School near Palisades NY

Locating and enrolling in the right esthetician program is important to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to organize all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Palisades NY.