How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Asheville NC

How to Pick an Esthetician Training Program near Asheville North Carolina

Asheville NC esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Asheville NC, the task starts to search for and enroll in the best program. It’s imperative that the school you select not only provides the necessary training for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be a little bit puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll speak a little bit further concerning that in the next segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Asheville residence. Tuition will additionally be a critical factor when assessing potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not always the right option. There are a number of other considerations that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Asheville NC Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything 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 word cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be almost anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you take some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Asheville NC beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a client base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many titles and work in a wide variety of specialties including:

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

As previously stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists have to 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, including shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees

Asheville NC esthetician client with face mask There are basically two avenues offered to receive esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally take 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree commonly 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 available if you wish to focus on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also probably include management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Asheville NC business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you choose, it’s important to make certain that it’s recognized by the North Carolina Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following section.

Online Esthetician Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Asheville NC Online esthetician schools are accommodating for Asheville NC students who are employed 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 via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are typically fast paced because many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not spending many hours away from your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the school you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Degree Programs

Asheville NC models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you should research for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Asheville residence, as well as the price of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly 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 compiled some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the esthetician training program you select 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 measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 28801 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Asheville NC employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Asheville NC salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And finally, contact the North Carolina school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you select a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your objective is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your desire is to start a Asheville NC beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty academy offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for developing your skills. So look for alternate schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s essential that she or he receives support in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance maintain relationships with Asheville NC employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? Almost all esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students too. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an alternative before you determine what financial assistance may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Asheville NC?

Perhaps you live in the Asheville North Carolina 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.

Asheville, North Carolina

Asheville is a city and the county seat of Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States.[6] It is the largest city in Western North Carolina, and the 12th-most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The city's population was 89,121 according to 2016 estimates.[7] It is the principal city in the four-county Asheville metropolitan area, with a population of 424,858 in 2010.[8]

Before the arrival of the Europeans, the land where Asheville now exists lay within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation.[9] In 1540,[10] Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto came to the area known as Guaxule,[11] bringing the first European visitors[10] along with European diseases, which seriously depleted the native population.[12] The area was used as an open hunting ground until the middle of the 19th century.[13]

The history of Asheville, as a town, began in 1784. In that year, Colonel Samuel Davidson and his family settled in the Swannanoa Valley, redeeming a soldier's land grant from the state of North Carolina. Soon after building a log cabin at the bank of Christian Creek, Davidson was lured into the woods by a band of Cherokee hunters and killed. Davidson's wife, child and female slave fled on foot overnight to Davidson's Fort (named after Davidson's father General John Davidson) 16 miles away.

Choose the Right Esthetician Training Program near Asheville NC

Selecting and enrolling in the right esthetician school is essential to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Make certain to compile all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the school and program you select are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, 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 exam, you will be self-assured that you are ready to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Asheville NC.