How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Shallotte NC

How to Find the Right Esthetics School near Shallotte North Carolina

Shallotte NC esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Shallotte NC, the process starts to search for and enroll in the right program. It’s essential that the school you pick not only provides the necessary education for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be rather confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a little bit more regarding that in the next section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Shallotte home. Tuition will additionally be an important consideration when assessing possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the right choice. There are many other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Shallotte NC Cosmetology is an occupation 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 referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you take some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Shallotte NC beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles and work in a wide variety of specialties including:

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

As earlier mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

Shallotte NC esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two pathways available to obtain esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually require 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree ordinarily takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you want to specialize in just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also most likely incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Shallotte NC business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you go with, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s approved by the North Carolina Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for instance 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 Esthetician Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Shallotte NC Online esthetician classes are advantageous for Shallotte NC students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a personal 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 significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not spending numerous hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it’s important that the program you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Training Programs

Shallotte NC models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Shallotte home, in addition to the cost of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the esthetician training program you select 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 comply with their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 28459 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Shallotte NC employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Shallotte NC salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. And finally, consult the North Carolina school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you choose a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your dream is to start a Shallotte NC beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.

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 included in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty school furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best option for developing your skills. So try to find alternate schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s imperative that he or she gets help in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help develop relationships with Shallotte NC employers that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Almost all esthetician schools provide 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 learn what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school belongs to 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 with the exception of expense, do not drop it as an alternative before you determine what financial help may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Shallotte NC?

Perhaps you live in the Shallotte 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.

Shallotte, North Carolina

Shallotte is located in west-central Brunswick County at 33°58′37″N 78°23′33″W / 33.97694°N 78.39250°W / 33.97694; -78.39250 (33.977030, -78.392517).[4]U.S. Route 17 (Ocean Highway) passes through the town, bypassing the town center to the northwest. (Main Street is designated US 17 Business.) US 17 leads northeast 33 miles (53 km) to Wilmington and southwest 38 miles (61 km) to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 9.3 square miles (24.2 km2). 9.3 square miles (24.1 km2) of it is land and 0.08 square miles (0.2 km2), or 0.72%, is water.[2]

As of the census of 2010,[6] there were 3,675 people, 1,583 households, and 985 families residing in the town. The population density was 680.5 people per square mile (262.5/km²). There were 1,908 housing units with a density of 353.3 per square mile (136.3/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 85.2% White, 9.3% African American, 1.3% Asian, 0.6% Native American, 2.0% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.8% of the population.

Choose the Right Esthetician School near Shallotte NC

Picking and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is imperative to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to collect all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the academy and program you choose are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Shallotte NC.