How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Abbeville SC

How to Pick an Esthetics School near Abbeville South Carolina

Abbeville SC esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Abbeville SC, the task starts to locate and enroll in the best program. It’s important that the school you pick not only provides the appropriate training for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you might be a little bit confused about the distinction 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 little bit further regarding that in the upcoming segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Abbeville home. Tuition will likewise be a critical factor when evaluating prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the ideal option. There are a number of other considerations that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are available.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Abbeville SC Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you take some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Abbeville SC beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many 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 previously stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees and Certificates

Abbeville SC esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two options available to receive 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 normally require 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 instructed in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you wish to concentrate on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Abbeville SC business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you go with, it’s essential to make certain that it’s certified by the South Carolina Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next segment.

Online Esthetician Schools

woman attending esthetician school online in Abbeville SC Online esthetician schools are advantageous for Abbeville SC students who are working full-time and have family commitments that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be attended through a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools are often fast paced because many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not spending numerous hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it’s essential that the school you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training needed 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 profession. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Trade Schools

Abbeville SC models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a list of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Abbeville residence, in addition to the price of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have put together some of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make certain that the esthetician college you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 29620 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Abbeville SC employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Abbeville SC salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, 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 looked into. And finally, check with the South Carolina school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints 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 specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically 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 objective 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 Abbeville SC beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.

Is Enough Live Training Provided? Learning and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty program provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s imperative that she or he gets assistance in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer help maintain relationships with Abbeville SC employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments 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 Aid Offered? Many esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students as well. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you learn what financial assistance may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Abbeville SC?

Perhaps you live in the Abbeville South Carolina 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.

Abbeville, South Carolina

Abbeville is a city in Abbeville County, South Carolina, United States, 86 miles (138 km) west of Columbia and 45 miles (72 km) south of Greenville.[3] Its population was 5,237 at the 2010 census.[1] It is the county seat of Abbeville County.[4][5] Settled by French Huguenot settlers, it was named, along with the county, for the French town of the same name.[3][6]

Abbeville has the unique distinction of being both the birthplace and the deathbed of the Confederacy. On November 22, 1860, a meeting was held at Abbeville, at a site since dubbed "Secession Hill", to launch South Carolina's secession from the Union;[8][9] one month later, the state of South Carolina became the first state to secede.

At the end of the Civil War, with the Confederacy in shambles, Confederate President Jefferson Davis fled Richmond, Virginia, and headed south, stopping for a night in Abbeville at the home of his friend Armistead Burt. It was on May 2, 1865, in the front parlor of what is now known as the Burt-Stark Mansion that Jefferson Davis officially acknowledged the dissolution of the Confederate government, in the last official cabinet meeting.[8][9]

Select the Right Esthetician School near Abbeville SC

Finding and enrolling in the right esthetician college is imperative to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Don’t forget to organize all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the academy and program you decide on are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are ready to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Abbeville SC.