How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Calera OK

How to Find the Right Esthetician College near Calera Oklahoma

Calera OK esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Calera OK, the task starts to locate and enroll in the right program. It’s imperative that the school you pick not only furnishes the appropriate training for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be somewhat unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a bit more about that in the next section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Calera home. Tuition will also be an important consideration when assessing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the ideal option. There are a number of other qualifications that you should weigh when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are available.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Calera OK Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more attractive with the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be almost anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you go through some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Calera OK beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a client base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many titles and are employed in a wide range of specializations 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 a few states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

Calera OK esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two avenues offered to get esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually require 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you prefer to focus on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Calera OK business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you choose, it’s essential to make sure that it’s recognized by the Oklahoma Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the next segment.

Online Esthetician Schools

woman attending esthetician school online in Calera OK Online esthetician programs are advantageous for Calera OK students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs available that can be accessed via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are often fast paced because many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not spending numerous hours outside of your home or travelling to and from classes. However, it’s important that the program you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Degree Programs

Calera OK models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you will want to look into for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Calera residence, in addition to the expense of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you should ask every 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 acknowledged local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 74730 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Calera OK businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Calera OK salon owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. And finally, check with the Oklahoma school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive 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 frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you enroll in 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 respected for that program. If your vision is to open a Calera OK beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and refining esthetician techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty academy provides little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. So look for other schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s crucial that he or she receives aid in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develop relationships with Calera OK employers that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Many esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might get approved 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 meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not omit it as an option until you learn what financial help may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Calera OK?

Perhaps you live in the Calera Oklahoma 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.

Calera, Oklahoma

Calera is a town in Bryan County, Oklahoma, United States, only 5 miles south of Durant and 10 miles north of the Oklahoma-Texas stateline. The population was 2,164 at the 2010 census, an increase of 24.4 percent from 1,739 at the 2000 census.[3] It is part of the Durant Micropolitan Area. It is also part of the Texoma region.

Formerly known as Cale Switch or Cale when in 1872 the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway built a railroad through the Choctaw Nation, and the small community was established on the east side of the tracks. The name Cale came from railroad official George W. Cale. Seventeen years later, the people of Cale Switch had their first post office.[5] That same year the town was given the name Sterrett, but Katy, also referred to as Missouri, Kansas, and Texas Railway, railroad official refused to call it by that name. The debate continued for twenty-one years when finally in 1910 the town accepted the name Calera.

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 1,739 people, 676 households, and 469 families residing in the town. The population density was 678.6 per square mile (262.3/km²). There were 742 housing units at an average density of 289.5 per square mile (111.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 81.31% White, 0.12% African American, 11.67% Native American, 0.12% Asian, 2.07% from other races, and 4.72% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.99% of the population.

Find the Right Esthetician Training Program near Calera OK

Choosing and enrolling in the right esthetician college is imperative to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to collect all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the academy and program you select are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and answer 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 examination, you will be confident that you are prepared to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Calera OK.