How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Oberlin OH

How to Pick an Esthetician School near Oberlin Ohio

Oberlin OH esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Oberlin OH, the task begins to locate and enroll in the ideal program. It’s imperative that the program you choose not only provides the necessary instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you may be somewhat puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll speak a little bit further concerning that in the following section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Oberlin residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical factor when assessing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the best option. There are various other factors that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about 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 courses are offered.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Oberlin OH Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more attractive through the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really 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, most states mandate that you take some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Oberlin OH beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a clientele, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional names 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 previously stated, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees and Certificates

Oberlin OH esthetician client with face mask There are basically two options offered to obtain esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically require 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 instructed in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you want to focus on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Oberlin OH business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you decide on, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s approved by the Ohio Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming section.

Online Esthetics Schools

woman attending esthetician school online in Oberlin OH Online esthetician classes are convenient for Oberlin OH students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs offered that can be accessed through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are typically fast paced because many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not spending many hours outside of your home or travelling to and from classes. However, it’s important that the program you select 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 part of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Training Classes

Oberlin OH models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you should research for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Oberlin home, in addition to the price of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the esthetician school you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified 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 guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 44074 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Oberlin OH businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Oberlin OH salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And finally, check with the Ohio school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular 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 select a school that specializes in 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 vision is to open a Oberlin OH 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 poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on people. 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 allow students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty school provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best option for acquiring your skills. So search for alternate schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician school, 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 maintain relationships with Oberlin OH employers that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, 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 Aid Offered? Almost all esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and learn 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 available to students too. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not omit it as an option until you find out what financial aid may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Oberlin OH?

Perhaps you live in the Oberlin Ohio 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.

Oberlin, Ohio

Oberlin is a city in Lorain County, Ohio, United States, southwest of Cleveland. Oberlin is the home of Oberlin College, a liberal arts college and music conservatory with approximately 3,000 students.

The town is the birthplace of the Anti-Saloon League and the Hall-Héroult process, the process of reducing aluminum from its fluoride salts by electrolysis, which made industrial production of aluminum possible.[6]

Oberlin was founded in 1833 by two Presbyterian ministers, John Jay Shipherd and Philo P. Stewart.[7] The pair had become friends while spending the summer of 1832 together in nearby Elyria and discovered a shared dissatisfaction with what they saw as the lack of strong Christian morals among the settlers of the American West.[8] Their proposed solution was to create a religious community that would more closely adhere to Biblical commandments, along with a school for training Christian missionaries who would eventually spread throughout the American frontier.[9] The two decided to name their community after Jean-Frédéric Oberlin (1740–1826), an Alsatian minister whose pedagogical achievements in a poor and remote area had greatly impressed and inspired them.[10]

Enroll in the Right Esthetics Training Program near Oberlin OH

Choosing and enrolling in the right esthetician school is imperative to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the academy and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, 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 ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are ready to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Oberlin OH.