How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Catawba NC

How to Select an Esthetician Course near Catawba North Carolina

Catawba NC esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Catawba NC, the task begins to search for and enroll in the best program. It’s essential that the program you pick not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be somewhat unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll talk a bit further about that in the next segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Catawba home. Tuition will also be an important factor when evaluating potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not always the ideal option. There are many other considerations that you should weigh when comparing schools, such as 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 talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are available.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Catawba NC Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really 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 undergo some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Catawba NC beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a customer base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own residences or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by 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 formerly stated, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

Catawba NC esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two avenues available to get 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 typically call for 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 trained in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you wish to specialize in just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Catawba NC business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas 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. Many states only approve schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming section.

Online Esthetics Training

woman attending esthetician school online in Catawba NC Online esthetician classes are accommodating for Catawba NC students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs offered that can be accessed through a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are typically fast paced because many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting many hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the program you choose can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Training Courses

Catawba NC models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you need to look into for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Catawba residence, together with the expense of tuition, will probably 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 narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have collected some of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the esthetician college 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 comply with their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 28609 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 Catawba NC employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Catawba NC salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And last, check with the North Carolina school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating 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 typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you enroll in a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your objective 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 vision is to open a Catawba NC beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty academy furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for developing your skills. So search for other schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s essential that he or she gets aid in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develop relationships with Catawba NC businesses that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering 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 confirm 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. Find out if the schools you are investigating 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 as well. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an option before you find out what financial help may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Catawba NC?

Perhaps you live in the Catawba 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.

Catawba College

Catawba College is a private, coeducational college in Salisbury, North Carolina, United States. Founded in 1851 by the North Carolina Classis of the Reformed Church in Newton, the college adopted its name from its county of origin, Catawba County, before moving to its current home of Salisbury in 1925. Catawba College still holds loose ties with the successor to the Reformed Church, the United Church of Christ, and offers over 70 undergraduate degrees.

Catawba College was founded by the North Carolina Classis of the Reformed Church in the United States in 1851. The years following the opening of the college were years of growing prosperity for the school, but the Civil War changed this as funds and students became less available. During the war years, the college became an academy, operating as Catawba High School from 1865 until 1885, whereupon it resumed operations under its original charter as Catawba College. Catawba became coeducational in 1890. Even with the addition of women to the student body, the College struggled to overcome the depletion brought on by the war. Responding to the offer of a partially constructed dormitory-administration building and several acres of land in Salisbury, trustee, college, and church officials closed the campus in Newton in 1923 and re-opened in Salisbury in 1925.

Catawba College offers over 70 fields of study in a variety of disciplines. Special programs and college centers include the Lilly Center for Vocation and Values, the Writing Center, the Math Center, Sustainable Catawba, Volunteer Catawba, the Center for the Environment, Career Services, the Curriculum Materials Center, Summer School, and Winter Term.[3]

Enroll in the Right Esthetician College near Catawba NC

Finding and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is imperative to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Don’t forget to organize all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the institution and program you choose are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are ready to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Catawba NC.