How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Lexington OK

How to Pick an Esthetician School near Lexington Oklahoma

Lexington OK esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Lexington OK, the task starts to search for and enroll in the best program. It’s essential that the school you pick not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you might be somewhat puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll talk a bit further regarding that in the following section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Lexington residence. Tuition will additionally be an important factor when reviewing possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not always the right choice. There are a number of other considerations that you should evaluate when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are available.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Lexington OK Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more attractive through the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you undergo some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Lexington OK beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a clientele, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional names and are employed in a wide variety of specializations including:

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

As earlier mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees and Certificates

Lexington OK esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two options offered to obtain esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically 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 trained in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you want to focus on just one area, such as 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 Lexington OK business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you choose, it’s essential to make sure that it’s certified by the Oklahoma Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming section.

Online Esthetics Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Lexington OK Online esthetician classes are convenient for Lexington OK students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are often fast paced given that many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it’s imperative that the training program you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to obtain 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 confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Programs

Lexington OK models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you need to research for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Lexington residence, as well as the price of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the esthetician college you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 73051 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Lexington 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 college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Lexington OK salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. Finally, contact the Oklahoma school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you decide on 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 well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to launch a Lexington OK beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing 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? Studying and refining esthetician techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. So try to find other schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s essential that she or he gets help in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish help develop relationships with Lexington OK employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students also. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not drop it as an alternative before you find out what financial assistance may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Lexington OK?

Perhaps you live in the Lexington 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.

Lexington, Oklahoma

Lexington is located in southern Cleveland County at 35°0′55″N 97°20′10″W / 35.01528°N 97.33611°W / 35.01528; -97.33611. It is bordered on the west by the Canadian River, which forms the McClain County line. The city of Purcell is directly across the river from Lexington, connected by U.S. Route 77. US 77 leads north from Lexington 16 miles (26 km) to Norman and 38 miles (61 km) to the center of Oklahoma City.

As of the census[1] of 2010 there were 2,152 people, 761 households, and 541 families residing in the city. The population density was 979.3 people per square mile (378.1/km²). There were 842 housing units at an average density of 395.3 per square mile (152.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 85.62% White, 0.58% African American, 6.47% Native American, 0.10% Asian, 3.74% from other races, and 3.50% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.29% of the population.

There were 761 households out of which 36.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.5% were married couples living together, 13.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.8% were non-families. 25.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.06.

Enroll in the Right Esthetician School near Lexington OK

Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician school is important to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Don’t forget to organize all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you choose are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Lexington OK.