How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Stillwater NY

How to Pick an Esthetician College near Stillwater New York

Stillwater NY esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Stillwater NY, the process begins to find and enroll in the right program. It’s important that the school you choose not only provides the proper instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be somewhat confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a bit further concerning that in the next segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Stillwater residence. Tuition will additionally be an important aspect when reviewing potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the right choice. There are many other factors that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are available.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Stillwater NY Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many 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. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you go through some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Stillwater 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, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known 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 formerly mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

Stillwater NY esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two avenues available to obtain 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 usually call for 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree commonly 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 want to focus on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Stillwater NY business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you go with, it’s important to make certain that it’s approved by the New York Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the next section.

Online Esthetician Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Stillwater NY Online esthetician programs are advantageous for Stillwater NY students who are working full-time and have family commitments that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs available that can be accessed through a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced because many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you’re not spending many hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it’s vital that the school you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Training Programs

Stillwater NY models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a list of questions that you should look into for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Stillwater residence, as well as the cost of tuition, will probably 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 narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have put together several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the esthetician school 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 guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 12170 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 Stillwater NY employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. 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 demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Stillwater NY salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. And finally, contact 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 Focus? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you choose a school that focuses on 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 aspiration is to launch a Stillwater NY beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty program furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. So look for other schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s crucial that he or she receives help in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer aid develop relationships with Stillwater NY employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Almost all esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students also. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you learn what financial help may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Stillwater NY?

Perhaps you live in the Stillwater 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.

Stillwater, New York

Stillwater is a town in Saratoga County, New York, United States, with an estimated population of 8,547 in 2016. The town contains a village called Stillwater. The town is at the eastern border of the county, southeast of Saratoga Springs and borders both Rensselaer and Washington counties. Saratoga National Historical Park is located within the town's limits. There is a hamlet in Minerva, Essex County, New York with the same name which has nothing to do with this town.

The area was occupied by Iroquois and Mohican natives when the colonial period began. In 1709, Peter Schuyler built Fort Ingoldsby in town because of its location on the frontier of the French and Indian Wars. A replica of Schuyler's fort currently serves as the Stillwater Blockhouse Museum. Settlers began arriving after 1730. During the American Revolution residents participated in the war, and part of the Battle of Saratoga was fought in the town so that the town now refers to itself as the turning point of the American Revolution.[citation needed][3]

Stillwater was established as a town in 1791, when Saratoga County was formed. In 1816, the hamlet of Stillwater incorporated as a village. In 1859, Mechanicville became the town's second village. The Stillwater Free Library was established in 1949 by Barbara Alexik and Elizabeth Beiter in the building formerly home to the St. John's Episcopal Church. The Stillwater United Church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2006.[4]

Enroll in the Right Esthetics Vocational School near Stillwater NY

Finding and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is essential to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to compile all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the institution and program you decide on are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Stillwater NY.