How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Oakland OR

How to Choose an Esthetician College near Oakland Oregon

Oakland OR esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Oakland OR, the process begins to find and enroll in the ideal program. It’s imperative that the school you choose not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be somewhat confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a little bit further concerning that in the upcoming section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Oakland home. Tuition will likewise be an important factor when assessing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the right choice. There are a number of other qualifications that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are offered.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Oakland OR Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic can be anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you go through some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Oakland OR beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a client base, launch 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 have many titles and work in a wide range of specialties including:

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

As formerly stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

Oakland OR esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two avenues 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 generally take 12 to 18 months to complete, 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 main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you want to focus on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Oakland OR business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you opt for, it’s important to make certain that it’s approved by the Oregon Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming segment.

Online Esthetician Schools

woman attending esthetician school online in Oakland OR Online esthetician programs are convenient for Oakland OR students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are many online cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are frequently fast paced given that many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the school you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training needed for a complete 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 be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Training Programs

Oakland OR models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you should look into for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Oakland residence, as well as the cost of tuition, will most likely be your initial 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 choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make certain that the esthetician school you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 97462 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Oakland OR employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any esthetician institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Oakland OR salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. Finally, check with the Oregon school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you select a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your dream is to start a Oakland OR beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty school furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. So look for alternate schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s crucial that he or she receives aid in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer help maintain relationships with Oakland OR employers that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Almost all esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and identify 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 offered to students too. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you find out what financial aid may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Oakland OR?

Perhaps you live in the Oakland 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.

Oakland, California

Oakland is the largest city and the county seat of Alameda County, California, United States. A major West Coast port city, Oakland is the largest city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, the third largest city overall in the San Francisco Bay Area, the eighth most populated city in California, and the 45th largest city in the United States. With a population of 412,040 as of 2016[update],[14] it serves as a trade center for the San Francisco Bay Area; its Port of Oakland is the busiest port in the San Francisco Bay, the entirety of Northern California, and the fifth busiest in the United States of America.[16] An act to incorporate the city was passed on May 4, 1852, and incorporation was later approved on March 25, 1854, which officially made Oakland a city.[4] Oakland is a charter city.[17]

Oakland's territory covers what was once a mosaic of California coastal terrace prairie, oak woodland, and north coastal scrub.[18] Its land served as a rich resource when its hillside oak and redwood timber were logged to build San Francisco.[18] Oakland's fertile flatland soils helped it become a prolific agricultural region. In the late 1860s, Oakland was selected as the western terminal of the Transcontinental Railroad.[19] Following the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, many San Francisco citizens moved to Oakland, enlarging the city's population, increasing its housing stock and improving its infrastructure. This is also the time when plague cases were discovered in Oakland and the East Bay.[20] It continued to grow in the 20th century with its busy port, shipyards, and a thriving automobile manufacturing industry.

Oakland is known for its sustainability practices, including a top-ranking for usage of electricity from renewable resources. Oakland is also known for its history of political activism, as well as its professional sports franchises (such as the Oakland Raiders, Oakland Athletics and the Golden State Warriors) and major corporations, which include health care, dot-com companies, and manufacturers of household products.

Enroll in the Right Esthetician College near Oakland OR

Picking and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is essential to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to compile all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the school and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Oakland OR.