How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Patterson NY

How to Choose an Esthetician Course near Patterson New York

Patterson NY esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Patterson NY, the process starts to find and enroll in the ideal program. It’s imperative that the school you choose not only furnishes the appropriate education for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you may be somewhat unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a bit further about that in the next segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Patterson residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical consideration when assessing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the best option. There are various other qualifications that you should evaluate when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over 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 types of training programs are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Patterson NY Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic can be 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 Patterson NY beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a client base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by 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 previously stated, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees and Certificates

Patterson NY esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two options offered to obtain 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 generally take 12 to 18 months to complete, 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. Briefer programs are offered if you wish to focus on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Patterson NY business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you go with, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s approved by the New York Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the next segment.

Online Esthetician Training

woman attending esthetician school online in Patterson NY Online esthetician schools are convenient for Patterson NY students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs offered that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced given that many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not spending many hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the program you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Degree Programs

Patterson NY models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you will want to research for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Patterson residence, in addition to the cost of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue 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 must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled several of those additional 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 school you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 12563 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 Patterson NY employers will not employ 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 exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent 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, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Patterson NY salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. And finally, contact the New York school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating 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 expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you choose a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your aspiration is to open a Patterson 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 regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty school furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s essential that he or she receives aid in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develop relationships with Patterson NY employers that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Many esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. 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 each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you find out what financial help may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Patterson NY?

Perhaps you live in the Patterson 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.

Patterson, New York

Patterson is a town in Putnam County, New York, United States. The town is in the northeast part of the county. Interstate 84 passes through the southwest part of the town. The population was 12,023 at the 2010 census. The town is named after early farmer Matthew Paterson. The reason Patterson was spelled with two "t"s was due to the looseness with which Paterson spelled his own last name.[3]

The town was first settled around 1720 in The Oblong, which was a disputed area in southeastern New York also claimed by the colony of Connecticut. The Oblong was a strip of land approximately 2.9 km wide between Dutchess County, New York, and Connecticut, ceded to New York in the 1731 Treaty of Dover. Between 1720 and 1776 a large number of mostly Connecticut families settled in the southern Oblong. They could not settle west of it because that land was privately owned by the Philipse Family. It had been granted a patent for virtually all of the remainder of the area of the future Putnam County.

The first such settlers in the Oblong were the Hayt family, who built a house at The Elm in 1720.[4] Another early settler was Jacob Haviland, who settled Haviland Hollow in 1731. The first village in Putnam County, the hamlet of Patterson, was originally called Frederickstown. The eastern part of the future Putnam County was called Southeast Precinct (not the same as the current town of Southeast).

Choose the Right Esthetics School near Patterson NY

Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is essential to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to compile all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are ready to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Patterson NY.