How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Grass Valley OR

How to Find the Right Esthetics College near Grass Valley Oregon

Grass Valley OR esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Grass Valley OR, the process begins to find and enroll in the ideal program. It’s important that the school you select not only furnishes the necessary training for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be somewhat puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a little bit more about that in the next section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Grass Valley residence. Tuition will also be an important aspect when assessing potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the right option. There are a number of other considerations that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are available.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Grass Valley OR Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more attractive with the use 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 may be almost anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you go through some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Grass Valley OR beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a customer base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many 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 formerly mentioned, in the majority of states working 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 working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetics Certificates and Degrees

Grass Valley OR esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two options offered to get esthetician training and a credential upon 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 complete, while an Associate’s degree usually 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 want to focus on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Grass Valley OR business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you go with, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s approved by the Oregon Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the following section.

Online Esthetician Courses

woman attending esthetician school online in Grass Valley OR Online esthetician programs are convenient for Grass Valley OR students who are working full time and have family commitments that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended through a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not spending many hours outside of your home or travelling to and from classes. However, it’s essential that the program you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Training Programs

Grass Valley OR 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 already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Grass Valley residence, as well as the price of tuition, will probably be your initial 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 choices 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 several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the esthetician school you pick 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 97029 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Grass Valley OR employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Grass Valley OR salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to propose others that you had not considered. Finally, contact the Oregon school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you pick a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your intention 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 dream is to launch a Grass Valley OR beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and refining esthetician techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. So look for alternate schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s imperative that she or he receives help in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer help maintain relationships with Grass Valley OR employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Almost all esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and learn 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 as well. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not drop it as an option until you learn what financial help may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Grass Valley OR?

Perhaps you live in the Grass Valley 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.

Grass Valley, California

The city of Grass Valley is the largest city in the western region of Nevada County, California, United States. Situated at roughly 2,500 feet (760 m) elevation in the western foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, this historic northern Gold Country city is 57 miles (92 km) by car from the state capitol in Sacramento, 64 miles (103 km) from Sacramento International Airport, 88 miles (142 km) west of Reno, and 143 miles (230 km) northeast of San Francisco. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 12,860.

Grass Valley, which was originally known as Boston Ravine and later officially named Centerville, dates from the California Gold Rush, as does nearby Nevada City. When a post office was established in 1851, it was renamed Grass Valley the following year for unknown reasons. The town incorporated in 1860.[5]

Grass Valley is the location of the Empire Mine and North Star Mine, two of the richest mines in California. George Starr, manager of the Empire Mine, and William Bowers Bourn II, the mine owner, donated mine property which became Memorial Park.[6]:42

Enroll in the Right Esthetician Training Program near Grass Valley OR

Choosing and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is imperative to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you select are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, 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 right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to start your career as a professional esthetician in Grass Valley OR.