How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Granite Falls NC

How to Choose an Esthetics Course near Granite Falls North Carolina

Granite Falls NC esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Granite Falls NC, the process begins to locate and enroll in the right program. It’s important that the program you select not only furnishes the necessary education for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be a little bit unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll talk a bit further concerning that in the next segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Granite Falls residence. Tuition will additionally be an important factor when reviewing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the right option. There are many other qualifications that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning 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 training programs are available.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Granite Falls NC Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So of course 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 actually a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you go through some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Granite Falls NC beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a customer base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin 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 variety of specializations including:

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

As already stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetics Certificates and Degrees

Granite Falls NC esthetician client with face mask There are basically two avenues offered to obtain esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically call for 12 to 18 months to complete, 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 major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you prefer to specialize in just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Granite Falls NC business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you decide on, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s approved by the North Carolina Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the next section.

Online Esthetics Courses

woman attending esthetician school online in Granite Falls NC Online esthetician programs are advantageous for Granite Falls NC students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are frequently fast paced because many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are 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 area salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Degree Programs

Granite Falls NC models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a list of questions that you should research for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Granite Falls home, in addition to the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly 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 school. Following we have collected some of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make certain that the esthetician college you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified 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 guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in 28630 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Granite Falls NC employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Granite Falls NC salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. And finally, 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 broad 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 frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you select 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 dream is to open a Granite Falls 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 regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Any Live Training Provided? Practicing and refining esthetician techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty program provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. So search for other schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s imperative that she or he gets support in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help develop relationships with Granite Falls NC employers that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Many esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and find out 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 too. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an option until you learn what financial help may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Granite Falls NC?

Perhaps you live in the Granite Falls 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.

Granite Falls, North Carolina

Granite Falls is a town in Caldwell County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 4,722 at the 2010 census.[4] It is part of the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Granite Falls is located near the southern border of Caldwell County at 35°48′1″N 81°25′59″W / 35.80028°N 81.43306°W / 35.80028; -81.43306 (35.800345, -81.432929).[5] It is bordered to the south by the town of Rhodhiss, to the southwest by Rhodhiss Lake on the Catawba River (Lake Hickory), and to the west by the town of Sawmills. The center of town is located on a ridge between the Catawba River to the west and Gunpowder Creek, a tributary of the Catawba, to the east.

U.S. Route 321 (Hickory Boulevard) is a four-lane highway that passes through the east side of town; it leads 6 miles (10 km) southeast to the center of Hickory and 10 miles (16 km) northwest to Lenoir, the Caldwell County seat. US 321 Alternate runs through the center of Granite Falls as North and South Main Street.

Choose the Right Esthetician School near Granite Falls NC

Finding and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is essential to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to consolidate all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you select are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Granite Falls NC.