How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Fayetteville NC

How to Choose an Esthetics School near Fayetteville North Carolina

Fayetteville NC esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Fayetteville NC, the task starts to search for and enroll in the best program. It’s important that the school you select not only provides the proper instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be rather unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a bit more concerning that in the upcoming section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Fayetteville home. Tuition will additionally be a critical factor when evaluating prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the best option. There are several other factors that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding 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 kinds of programs are available.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Fayetteville NC Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more attractive through the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous 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 almost anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you take some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Fayetteville NC beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a customer 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 are known by many names 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 earlier mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees and Certificates

Fayetteville NC esthetician client with face mask There are basically two options available 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 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 instructed in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Fayetteville NC business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you decide on, it’s essential to make sure that it’s certified by the North Carolina Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the next section.

Online Esthetician Programs

woman attending esthetician school online in Fayetteville NC Online esthetician programs are accommodating for Fayetteville 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 web-based beauty school programs offered that can be attended via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are often fast paced because many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you’re not spending many hours outside of your home or travelling to and from classes. However, it’s imperative that the school you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Training Courses

Fayetteville NC models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Fayetteville residence, together with the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the esthetician college you enroll in 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 meet their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 28301 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Fayetteville NC businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Fayetteville NC salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. And last, contact the North Carolina school licensing authority to find out 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 particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you pick a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your goal 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 open a Fayetteville NC beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.

Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and refining esthetician skills and techniques involves 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 real people. If a beauty academy furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s essential that he or she gets help in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance develop relationships with Fayetteville NC businesses that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Many esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may get approved 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 each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an option before you find out what financial aid may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Fayetteville NC?

Perhaps you live in the Fayetteville 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.

Fayetteville, North Carolina

Fayetteville (/ˈfeɪətˌvɪl/) is a city in Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States. It is the county seat of Cumberland County,[4] and is best known as the home of Fort Bragg, a major U.S. Army installation northwest of the city.

Fayetteville has received the All-America City Award from the National Civic League three times. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 200,564,[5] with an estimated population of 204,408 in 2013.[6] It is the 6th-largest city in North Carolina. Fayetteville is in the Sandhills in the western part of the Coastal Plain region, on the Cape Fear River.

With an estimated population in 2013 of 210,533 people,[7] the Fayetteville metropolitan area is the largest in southeastern North Carolina, and the fifth-largest in the state. Suburban areas of metro Fayetteville include Fort Bragg, Hope Mills, Spring Lake, Raeford, Pope Field, Rockfish, Stedman, and Eastover. Fayetteville's mayor is Mitch Colvin, who is serving his first term.[8]

Choose the Right Esthetician School near Fayetteville NC

Locating and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is imperative to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to contrast schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school 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 post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are ready to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Fayetteville NC.