How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Lumberton NC

How to Select an Esthetics College near Lumberton North Carolina

Lumberton NC esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Lumberton NC, the task begins to find and enroll in the right program. It’s imperative that the school you choose not only furnishes the proper instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial 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 pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a little bit more concerning that in the next section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Lumberton home. Tuition will likewise be an important factor when assessing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the best choice. There are several other qualifications that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Lumberton NC Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be almost 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 become licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Lumberton NC beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by 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 formerly mentioned, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees

Lumberton NC esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two avenues offered to receive 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 generally 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. Briefer programs are available if you wish to focus on 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 Lumberton NC business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you opt for, 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 highly regarded agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next section.

Online Esthetician Programs

woman attending esthetician school online in Lumberton NC Online esthetician programs are convenient for Lumberton NC students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs available that can be attended through a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are often fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you’re not spending numerous hours away from your home or driving to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the program you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Schools

Lumberton NC models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you will want to research for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Lumberton home, in addition to the cost of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like 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 additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have put together several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the esthetician college you pick 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 28358 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Lumberton NC businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Lumberton NC salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. And last, consult 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 Focus? Some 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, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you enroll in a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your goal is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your dream is to open a Lumberton NC beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Enough Live Training Provided? Practicing and mastering esthetician skills and techniques demands lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty school offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best option for acquiring your skills. So look for alternate schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s essential that she or he receives aid in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide aid maintain relationships with Lumberton NC businesses that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, find out 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? Most 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. Speak with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students too. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not drop it as an alternative until you determine what financial help may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Lumberton NC?

Perhaps you live in the Lumberton 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.

Lumberton, North Carolina

Lumberton is a city in Robeson County, North Carolina, United States. The population has grown to 21,542 in the 2010 census from 20,795 in the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Robeson County, the largest county by land area in the state.[4] Lumberton, located in southern North Carolina's Inner Banks region, is located on the Lumber River. Founded in 1787 by John Willis, an officer in the American Revolution, Lumberton was originally a shipping point for lumber used by the Navy, which was sent downriver to Georgetown, South Carolina. Most of the town's growth, however, began shortly after World War II.

Robeson County is located in the Coastal Plains region of southeastern North Carolina. The county was created from Bladen County in 1786 by two American Revolutionary War heroes and residents of the area, General John Willis and Colonel Thomas Robeson. The county was named after Colonel Robeson and the land for the county seat was donated by General Willis, who is also credited with naming the county seat Lumberton.

The area was a frontier destination for both white and numerous free families of color from Virginia in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Many free blacks were descendants of white men and African women, whether slave, free or indentured, from the colonial years when working classes lived and worked near each other.[5] The County has a high proportion of Lumbee, who have been recognized as a Native American tribe by the state of North Carolina but have not been able to receive federal recognition as an Indian tribe by the US Federal government or the B.I.A.

Select the Right Esthetician Training Program near Lumberton NC

Finding and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is imperative to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to compile all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you choose are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are prepared to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Lumberton NC.