How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Prineville OR

How to Find the Right Esthetics School near Prineville Oregon

Prineville OR esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Prineville OR, the process begins to locate and enroll in the ideal program. It’s important that the program you choose not only provides the necessary training for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you might be a little bit puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a bit more regarding that in the next section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Prineville home. Tuition will additionally be a critical factor when evaluating possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not always the right choice. There are several other qualifications that you should weigh when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Prineville OR Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more attractive through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be almost anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you take some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Prineville OR beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional names and work in a wide variety of specializations 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 a few states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

Prineville OR esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two avenues offered to get esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally call for 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 trained in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you wish to specialize in 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 salon or other Prineville OR business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you go with, it’s essential to make certain that it’s recognized by the Oregon Board of Cosmetology. Many states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the following segment.

Online Esthetician Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Prineville OR Online esthetician schools are accommodating for Prineville OR students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs available that can be attended via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are frequently fast paced because many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you’re not spending many hours outside of your home or commuting to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the school you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Training Classes

Prineville OR models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you will want to look into for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Prineville residence, together with the price of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have compiled several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make certain that the esthetician training program 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in 97754 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Prineville OR employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Prineville OR salon owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. And finally, check with the Oregon school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you decide on a school that focuses on 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 Prineville OR beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty academy furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best option for developing your skills. So try to find other schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s imperative that she or he gets help in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer aid develop relationships with Prineville OR businesses that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Almost all esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students too. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you find out what financial assistance may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Prineville OR?

Perhaps you live in the Prineville 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.

Prineville, Oregon

Prineville is a city in and the seat of Crook County, Oregon, United States.[6] It was named for the first merchant located in the present location, Barney Prine. The population was 9,253 at the 2010 census.[7]

Prineville was founded in 1877 when Monroe Hodges filed the original plat for the city. The post office for the community had been established with the name of Prine on April 13, 1871, but changed to Prineville on December 23, 1872. The city was incorporated by the Oregon Legislative Assembly on October 23, 1880,[8] and obtained its first high school in 1902.

Long the major town in central Oregon, Prineville was snubbed in 1911 when the railroad tycoons James J. Hill and Edward H. Harriman bypassed the city as they laid track south from The Dalles. In a period when the presence of a railroad meant the difference between prosperity and the eventual fate as a ghost town, in a 1917 election, Prineville residents voted 355 to 1 to build their own railway, and raised the money to connect their town to the main line 19 miles (31 km) away.

Select the Right Esthetics Program near Prineville OR

Choosing and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is imperative to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to collect all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the academy and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are prepared to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Prineville OR.