How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Carrboro NC

How to Enroll In an Esthetician Training Program near Carrboro North Carolina

Carrboro NC esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Carrboro NC, the task begins to locate and enroll in the ideal program. It’s important that the school you select not only furnishes the proper training for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you might be somewhat puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a bit further concerning that in the following section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Carrboro home. Tuition will additionally be a critical consideration when reviewing potential 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 various other factors that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within 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 Carrboro NC Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more attractive with the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are referred to 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, almost all states mandate that you go through some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Carrboro NC beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a client base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional names and are employed in a wide variety of specialties including:

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

As already stated, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees and Certificates

Carrboro NC esthetician client with face mask There are basically two options available to get esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually call for 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 instructed in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you wish to specialize in just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Carrboro NC business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you opt for, it’s important to make certain that it’s recognized by the North Carolina Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following section.

Online Esthetics Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Carrboro NC Online esthetician schools are accommodating for Carrboro NC students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are often fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not spending many hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the training program you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Degree Programs

Carrboro NC models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a list of questions that you should look into for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Carrboro home, together with the cost of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the esthetician training program you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 27510 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Carrboro NC businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Carrboro NC 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 suggest others that you had not considered. And finally, 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? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are broad 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 broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you decide on a school that specializes in 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 Carrboro NC beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.

Is Enough Live Training Provided? Studying and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s imperative that she or he gets help in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develop relationships with Carrboro NC employers that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, 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 Assistance Offered? 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. Consult with a counselor and identify 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 accessible to students also. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not drop it as an option before you determine what financial help may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Carrboro NC?

Perhaps you live in the Carrboro 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.

Carrboro, North Carolina

Carrboro is a town in Orange County in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The population was 19,582 at the 2010 census.[5] The town, which is part of the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill combined statistical area, was named after North Carolina industrialist Julian Shakespeare Carr.

Located directly west of Chapel Hill, home of the University of North Carolina's flagship campus, Carrboro has a reputation as one of the most progressive communities in the Southeastern United States. It was the first municipality in North Carolina to elect an openly gay mayor, Mike Nelson, in 1995 and the first municipality in the state to grant domestic-partner benefits to same-sex couples. In October 2002, Carrboro was among the first municipalities in the South to adopt resolutions opposing the Iraq War and the USA PATRIOT Act.

The history of Carrboro is similar to the history of many mill towns in North Carolina and largely parallels the histories of the State University Railroad and the Alberta Cotton Mill. Located just west of Chapel Hill, Carrboro was originally known as West End. It was settled in 1882 near the railway depot at the terminus of the 10.2 mile State University Railroad spur from University Station in Glenn, North Carolina.[6] State statute had decreed that the railway depot be at least one mile (1.6 km) from the university campus to discourage students from leaving on the weekends and spending their money elsewhere.[7]:10 Settlement in West End increased after 1898 when Thomas F. Lloyd of Chapel Hill built a steam-powered grist mill near the depot. This would become the Alberta Cotton Mill,[8] and in 1900 the town briefly called itself Lloydville in his honor.[9]

Enroll in the Right Esthetics College near Carrboro NC

Finding and enrolling in the right esthetician college is imperative to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to collect all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to reduce 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 start your career as a professional esthetician in Carrboro NC.