How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Bessemer City NC

How to Find the Right Esthetics School near Bessemer City North Carolina

Bessemer City NC esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Bessemer City NC, the task starts to locate and enroll in the best program. It’s imperative that the school you choose not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be rather puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a little bit further concerning that in the upcoming segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Bessemer City residence. Tuition will also be an important factor when reviewing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not always the best choice. There are many other factors that you should evaluate when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are available.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Bessemer City NC Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more attractive with the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word 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, almost all states require that you undergo some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Bessemer City NC beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a client base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles 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 previously stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees

Bessemer City NC esthetician client with face mask There are basically two avenues available to receive 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 normally take 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 all of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you want to specialize in just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also probably include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Bessemer City NC business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you choose, it’s important to make certain that it’s approved by the North Carolina Board of Cosmetology. Many states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the next segment.

Online Esthetics Courses

woman attending esthetician school online in Bessemer City NC Online esthetician programs are convenient for Bessemer City NC students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based beauty school programs available that can be attended through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are frequently fast paced because many courses 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 dealing with the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting many 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 area salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Degree Programs

Bessemer City NC models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you will want to look into for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Bessemer City residence, together with the expense of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the esthetician school you pick 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 meet their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 28016 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Bessemer City NC employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Check rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Bessemer City NC salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. And last, consult the North Carolina 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? Many 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 example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you enroll in 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 well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to start a Bessemer City NC beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Enough Live Training Provided? Practicing and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on volunteers. 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 volunteers. If a beauty school furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s crucial that he or she gets support in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance maintain relationships with Bessemer City NC employers that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? The majority of esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and find out 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 offered to students as well. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not omit it as an option before you learn what financial assistance may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Bessemer City NC?

Perhaps you live in the Bessemer City 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.

Bessemer City, North Carolina

Bessemer City is a small suburban city in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 5,340 at the 2010 census.[4] The city is approximately 6 miles (10 km) northwest of Gastonia and 25 miles (40 km) west of Charlotte. It was settled in 1756 and founded in 1893.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.8 square miles (12.5 km2), of which 4.8 square miles (12.4 km2) is land and 0.039 square miles (0.1 km2), or 0.78%, is water.[4] The elevation at city hall is 904 feet (276 m) above sea level.

Bessemer City is named for Sir Henry Bessemer who created the Bessemer process for smelting iron. Bessemer City was founded on land purchased from the Ormand family, near the Sloan-Washington-Ormand Iron Furnace, but the Bessemer Process made Bessemer City's early iron smelting industry obsolete.

Choose the Right Esthetics Program near Bessemer City NC

Picking and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is important to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Don’t forget to compile all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are ready to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Bessemer City NC.