How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Healdton OK

How to Find the Right Esthetics School near Healdton Oklahoma

Healdton OK esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Healdton OK, the task starts to search for and enroll in the best program. It’s important that the program you choose not only provides the necessary training for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be a little bit confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a bit further regarding that in the next section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Healdton home. Tuition will likewise be a critical factor when assessing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not always the right option. There are several 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 considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are available.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Healdton OK Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can 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 take some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Healdton OK beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many professional names 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 already mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees and Certificates

Healdton OK esthetician client with face mask There are basically two options offered 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 typically 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 major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you want to concentrate on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Healdton OK business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you choose, it’s essential to make certain that it’s recognized by the Oklahoma Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming segment.

Online Esthetician Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Healdton OK Online esthetician programs are advantageous for Healdton OK students who are working full time and have family commitments that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are many web-based beauty school programs offered that can be accessed through a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are typically fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours away from your home or commuting to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the training program you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Training Classes

Healdton OK models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you need to research for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Healdton home, together with the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly 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 initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make certain that the esthetician school you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized 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 assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in 73438 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Healdton OK employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Healdton OK salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. Finally, check with the Oklahoma 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? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you select a school that specializes in 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 dream is to launch a Healdton 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 regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician skills and techniques requires lots of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty school provides limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. Therefore look for other schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s imperative that she or he receives support in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide assistance develop relationships with Healdton OK employers that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, find out 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 Offered? Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students also. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an alternative before you learn what financial assistance may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Healdton OK?

Perhaps you live in the Healdton 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.

Healdton, Oklahoma

Healdton is located in western Carter County at 34°13′54″N 97°29′4″W / 34.23167°N 97.48444°W / 34.23167; -97.48444 (34.231557, -97.484454).[4]Oklahoma State Highway 76 passes through the city, leading south 5 miles (8 km) to U.S. Route 70 west of Wilson and north 5 miles (8 km) to Oklahoma State Highway 53. Ardmore, the Carter County seat, is 23 miles (37 km) to the east via OK-76 and US-70.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Healdton has a total area of 14.4 square miles (37.3 km2), of which 14.1 square miles (36.6 km2) is land and 0.27 square miles (0.7 km2), or 1.86%, is water.[3]

The Healdton Field, encompassing Healdton and located in the western portion of Carter County, produces from the Pennsylvanian Healdton sands of the Hoxbar Group and the Ordovician massive carbonate Arbuckle Group. The field is located on the "Healdton uplift", a northwest-southeast trending anticline, which formed with the Wichita Orogeny, and is 8 miles long and up to 3 miles wide. This was followed by deposition of the Healdton sandstones and shales on pre-Pennsylvanian eroded rocks and subsequent folding during the Arbuckle Orogeny. A prospector named Palmer drilled a shallow well, 425 feet, near an oil seep in the 1890s but Federal Law prohibited oil development on "Indian lands" until the early 1900s. Therefore, the discovery of the field is credited to the drilling of No. 1 Wirt Franklin in 1913.

Find the Right Esthetician Training Program near Healdton OK

Locating and enrolling in the right esthetician school is important to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to consolidate 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 sensible start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Healdton OK.