How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Hazelwood NC

How to Enroll In an Esthetics School near Hazelwood North Carolina

Hazelwood 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 Hazelwood NC, the task starts to locate and enroll in the right program. It’s imperative that the program you pick not only furnishes the proper training for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you might be rather puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll speak a bit further concerning that in the next segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Hazelwood residence. Tuition will likewise be an important factor when reviewing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not always the ideal option. There are several other considerations that you should evaluate when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are available.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Hazelwood NC Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human anatomy look more attractive through the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you go through some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Hazelwood NC beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles and work in a wide range of specialties including:

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

As earlier stated, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those offering 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 be licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees

Hazelwood NC esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two pathways offered to obtain esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually call for 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 available if you wish to specialize in just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also most likely incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Hazelwood NC business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you choose, it’s essential to make sure that it’s approved by the North Carolina Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following segment.

Online Esthetician Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Hazelwood NC Online esthetician classes are advantageous for Hazelwood NC students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are many online cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are frequently fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a considerable 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 numerous hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it’s vital that the school you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Training Programs

Hazelwood NC models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you will want to research for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Hazelwood home, together with the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue 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 even more factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the esthetician school you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged 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 superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 28738 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Hazelwood NC businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Hazelwood NC salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to suggest 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 full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you pick a school that specializes in 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 aspiration is to open a Hazelwood 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 ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Enough Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty academy offers little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. So try to find alternate schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s essential that she or he gets aid in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance develop relationships with Hazelwood NC businesses that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have extensive 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 office. Talk to a counselor and identify 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 too. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you find out what financial aid may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Hazelwood NC?

Perhaps you live in the Hazelwood 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.

Waynesville, North Carolina

Waynesville is a town in and the county seat of Haywood County, North Carolina, United States.[4] It is the largest town in Haywood County and the largest in western North Carolina west of Asheville. Waynesville is located about 30 miles (50 km) southwest of Asheville between the Great Smoky and Blue Ridge mountains.

As of the 2010 census, Waynesville had a population of 9,869.[5] The town is located just outside the Pisgah National Forest and is close to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway. Waynesville and Haywood County are part of the four-county Asheville Metropolitan Statistical Area, currently the fifth largest metropolitan area in North Carolina. It is the third largest town in the MSA behind the cities of Asheville and Hendersonville.

Waynesville is located southwest of the center of Haywood County at 35°29′00″N 82°59′40″W / 35.483226°N 82.994511°W / 35.483226; -82.994511 (35.483226, −82.994511),[6] in the valley of Richland Creek, a tributary of the Pigeon River. U.S. Routes 23 and 74 (the Great Smoky Mountains Expressway) form a bypass along the northwest side of the town, with access from Exits 98 through 102. The highways lead northeast to Asheville and southwest 18 miles (29 km) to Sylva. U.S. Route 276 passes through the center of Waynesville, following (from north to south) Russ Avenue, Walnut Street, Main Street, and Pigeon Street. US-276 leads north 5 miles (8 km) to Dellwood and southeast over Wagon Road Gap 39 miles (63 km) to Brevard

Choose the Right Esthetics College near Hazelwood NC

Locating and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is important to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel confident about your decision. Make certain to organize all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you pick are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Hazelwood NC.