How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools West Lebanon NY

How to Select an Esthetician Training Program near West Lebanon New York

West Lebanon NY esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near West Lebanon NY, the process begins to locate and enroll in the right program. It’s imperative that the school you select not only provides the appropriate training for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be rather confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll speak a bit more concerning that in the next section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your West Lebanon home. Tuition will likewise be a critical factor when reviewing possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the best choice. There are a number of other factors 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 looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are available.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners West Lebanon NY Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more attractive through the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be anything that enhances the appearance 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 settings include not only West Lebanon NY beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a clientele, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s home, 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 practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees and Certificates

West Lebanon NY esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two avenues 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 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 trained in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you wish to concentrate on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other West Lebanon NY business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you opt for, it’s essential to make sure that it’s recognized by the New York Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following segment.

Online Esthetics Programs

woman attending esthetician school online in West Lebanon NY Online esthetician programs are convenient for West Lebanon NY students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs available that can be attended by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are typically fast paced given that many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not devoting many hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it’s important that the program you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Degree Programs

West Lebanon NY models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series 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 relative to your West Lebanon home, as well as the price of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the esthetician college you pick 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in 12195 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many West Lebanon NY businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each esthetician institute 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 testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with West Lebanon NY salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. 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 submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you pick 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 dream is to open a West Lebanon NY beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and refining esthetician skills and techniques requires lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty school offers limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on using mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for developing your skills. So search for other schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s imperative that she or he receives aid in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer help maintain relationships with West Lebanon NY employers that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Most esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating 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 also. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not drop it as an alternative before you determine what financial aid may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near West Lebanon NY?

Perhaps you live in the West Lebanon 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.

1982 Lebanon War

The 1982 Lebanon War, dubbed Operation Peace for Galilee (Hebrew: מבצע שלום הגליל, or מבצע של"ג‎ Mivtsa Shlom HaGalil or Mivtsa Sheleg) by the Israeli government, later known in Israel as the Lebanon War or the First Lebanon War (Hebrew: מלחמת לבנון הראשונה‎, Milhemet Levanon Harishona), and known in Lebanon as "the invasion" (Arabic: الاجتياح‎, Al-ijtiyāḥ), began on 6 June 1982, when the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) invaded southern Lebanon, after repeated attacks and counter-attacks between the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) operating in southern Lebanon and the IDF that had caused civilian casualties on both sides of the border.[16][17][18] The military operation was launched after gunmen from Abu Nidal's organization attempted to assassinate Shlomo Argov, Israel's ambassador to the United Kingdom. Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin blamed Abu Nidal's enemy, the PLO, for the incident,[19][20] and treated the incident as a casus belli for the invasion.[21][22][i]

After attacking the PLO – as well as Syrian, leftist, and Muslim Lebanese forces – the Israeli military, in cooperation with the Maronite allies and the self-proclaimed Free Lebanon State, occupied southern Lebanon, eventually surrounding the PLO and elements of the Syrian Army. Surrounded in West Beirut and subjected to heavy bombardment, the PLO forces and their allies negotiated passage from Lebanon with the aid of United States Special Envoy Philip Habib and the protection of international peacekeepers. The PLO, under the chairmanship of Yasser Arafat, had relocated its headquarters to Tripoli in June 1982. By expelling the PLO, removing Syrian influence over Lebanon, and installing a pro-Israeli Christian government led by President Bachir Gemayel, Israel hoped to sign a treaty which Menachem Begin promised would give Israel "forty years of peace".[23]

Following the assassination of Gemayel in September 1982, Israel's position in Beirut became untenable and the signing of a peace treaty became increasingly unlikely. Outrage following Israel's role in the Phalangist-perpetrated Sabra and Shatila massacre, of mostly Palestinians and Lebanese Shiites, and Israeli popular disillusionment with the war would lead to a gradual withdrawal from Beirut to the areas claimed by the self-proclaimed Free Lebanon State in southern Lebanon (later to become the South Lebanon security belt), which was initiated following the 17 May Agreement and Syria's change of attitude towards the PLO. After Israeli forces withdrew from most of Lebanon, the War of the Camps broke out between Lebanese factions, the remains of the PLO and Syria, in which Syria fought its former Palestinian allies. At the same time, Shi'a militant groups began consolidating and waging a low-intensity guerrilla war over the Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon, leading to 15 years of low-scale armed conflict. The Lebanese Civil War would continue until 1990, at which point Syria had established complete dominance over Lebanon.[24]

Choose the Right Esthetics School near West Lebanon NY

Selecting and enrolling in the right esthetician school is important to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel confident about your decision. Don’t forget to collect all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the institution and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you start 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 proper choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to start your career as a professional esthetician in West Lebanon NY.