How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Copan OK

How to Enroll In an Esthetician School near Copan Oklahoma

Copan OK esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Copan OK, the process begins to find and enroll in the ideal program. It’s important that the program you choose not only furnishes the necessary education for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be somewhat confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a bit further about that in the following section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Copan residence. Tuition will likewise be an important factor when assessing potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the right choice. There are a number of other considerations 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 bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are available.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Copan OK Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states mandate that you take some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Copan OK beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a customer base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own residences or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by 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 already stated, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees and Certificates

Copan OK esthetician client with face mask There are basically two options offered to receive 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 usually require 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you wish to concentrate on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Copan OK business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you opt for, it’s essential to make sure that it’s approved by the Oklahoma 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 examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming section.

Online Esthetician Training

woman attending esthetician school online in Copan OK Online esthetician schools are convenient for Copan OK students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be attended by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are typically fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not spending many hours away from your home or driving to and from classes. However, it’s imperative that the training program you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Programs

Copan OK models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you need to research for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Copan home, together with the cost of tuition, will probably be your primary 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 need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled 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 college you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 74022 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Copan OK employers will not hire 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 evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Copan OK salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. Finally, check with the Oklahoma school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you choose a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your desire is to start a Copan OK 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 poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician skills and techniques requires 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 campus that allow students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. Therefore look for other schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s imperative that she or he gets support in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develop relationships with Copan OK employers that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Speak with 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 accessible to students also. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not drop it as an option before you learn what financial aid may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Copan OK?

Perhaps you live in the Copan 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.

Copan, Oklahoma

The Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway built a station at this site in 1899, which it named Copan, after the city of Copán, Honduras. However, when a post office was established here in 1900, it was designated as Lawton. The settlement was renamed Weldon in 1901, but reverted to Copan in 1904. It was incorporated under that name in Indian Territory in 1906. The Copan school district was founded in 1906, as well. By 1907, the town had 305 residents.[4]

The blossoming oil industry in Washington County spurred the growth of Copan. The Prairie Oil and Gas Company built Oklahoma's first trunk pipeline, which ran from Bartlesville, Oklahoma to Humboldt, Kansas in 1904. It also included an oil storage terminal near Copan, with 107 tanks, designed to hold 35,000 barrels of crude oil. The Copan oil field was discovered in 1907, and had nearly 2,200 producing wells by 1915.[4]

The town managed to survive and recover from major fires in 1906, 1911 and 1912. It enjoyed a spurt of growth after the creation of nearby Lake Hulah in 1951, and Lake Copan in 1983. Population reached a high of 960 in 1980, largely because the lakes increased tourism. The town economy is now largely based on travel and recreation.[4]

Pick the Right Esthetician College near Copan OK

Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician college is imperative to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the school 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 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 start your career as a professional esthetician in Copan OK.