How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Grants Pass OR

How to Find the Right Esthetics School near Grants Pass Oregon

Grants Pass OR esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Grants Pass OR, the task starts to locate and enroll in the right program. It’s imperative that the school you pick not only provides the necessary training for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you might be somewhat puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll talk a little bit further concerning that in the following section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Grants Pass home. Tuition will also be a critical consideration when evaluating potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not always the best choice. There are many other considerations that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are offered.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Grants Pass OR Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more attractive with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic can be almost anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you undergo some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Grants Pass OR beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional names and are employed in a wide range of specialties including:

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

As previously mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees and Certificates

Grants Pass OR esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two avenues available 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 normally 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 each of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you want to focus on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also probably include management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Grants Pass OR business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you go with, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s certified by the Oregon Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming section.

Online Esthetician Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Grants Pass OR Online esthetician programs are accommodating for Grants Pass OR students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are typically 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 internet courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the program you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Schools

Grants Pass OR models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a list of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Grants Pass home, in addition to the cost of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn 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 additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled some of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make certain that the esthetician training program you choose 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 measure up to their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 97526 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Grants Pass OR businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Grants Pass OR salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. And last, check with the Oregon school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you enroll in 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 desire is to start a Grants Pass OR beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and refining esthetician skills and techniques requires lots of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty school offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. Therefore try to find 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 school, it’s imperative that he or she receives assistance in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develop relationships with Grants Pass OR businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Many esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. 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 too. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not omit it as an option until you determine what financial aid may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Grants Pass OR?

Perhaps you live in the Grants Pass Oregon 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.

Grants Pass, Oregon

Grants Pass is a city in, and the county seat of, Josephine County, Oregon, United States.[6] The city is located on Interstate 5, northwest of Medford. Attractions include the Rogue River, famous for its rafting, and the nearby Oregon Caves National Monument located 30 miles (48 kilometers) south of the city. Grants Pass is 256 mi (412 km) south of Portland, the largest city in Oregon. The population was 34,533 at the 2010 census.[7]

Early Hudson's Bay Company hunters and trappers, following the Siskiyou Trail, passed through the site beginning in the 1820s. In the late 1840s, settlers (mostly American) following the Applegate Trail began traveling through the area on their way to the Willamette Valley. The city states[8] that the name was selected to honor General Ulysses S. Grant's success at Vicksburg. The Grants Pass post office was established on March 22, 1865.[9] The city of Grants Pass was incorporated in 1887.[10]

The Oregon–Utah Sugar Company, financed by Charles W. Nibley, was created, leading to a sugar beet factory being built in Grants Pass in 1916.[11] Before the factory opened, Oregon-Utah Sugar was merged into the Utah-Idaho Sugar Company.[11] Due to labor shortages and low acreage planted in sugar beets, the processing machinery was moved to Toppenish, Washington, in 1918 or 1919.[11]

Find the Right Esthetics College near Grants Pass OR

Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is important to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to collect all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the institution and program you decide on are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied 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 confident that you are ready to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Grants Pass OR.