How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Duncan SC

How to Select an Esthetician Course near Duncan South Carolina

Duncan SC esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Duncan SC, the task starts to locate and enroll in the right program. It’s important that the program you pick not only provides the proper education for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be a little bit confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a little bit further about that in the following section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Duncan home. Tuition will additionally be a critical factor when evaluating prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the best choice. There are various other considerations that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are offered.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Duncan SC Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more attractive with the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term 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 settings include not only Duncan SC beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a customer base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own residences or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional names and are employed in a wide range of specializations including:

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

As formerly mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

Duncan SC esthetician client with face mask There are basically two options available to receive esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually 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 trained in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you prefer to specialize in just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Duncan SC business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you go with, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s recognized by the South Carolina Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming section.

Online Esthetician Programs

woman attending esthetician school online in Duncan SC Online esthetician classes are advantageous for Duncan SC students who are employed full-time and have family commitments that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are typically fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a large amount 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 away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it’s vital that the program you select can provide internship training in nearby 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 difficult to acquire the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Training Classes

Duncan SC models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you need to research for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Duncan home, in addition to the cost of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the esthetician college you select 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 meet their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 29334 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Duncan SC employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively 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 field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Duncan SC salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to propose others that you had not considered. Finally, contact the South Carolina school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering 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 important that you pick a school that focuses on 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 well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to launch a Duncan SC 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 poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty school furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. So try to find other schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s essential that he or she gets support in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer help develop relationships with Duncan SC businesses that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check 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 get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students also. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not drop it as an option until you find out what financial assistance may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Duncan SC?

Perhaps you live in the Duncan 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.

Duncan, South Carolina

Duncan is located at 34°56′6″N 82°8′5″W / 34.93500°N 82.13472°W / 34.93500; -82.13472 (34.934983, -82.134801).[4] According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 3.5 square miles (9.1 km2), all land.

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 2,870 people, 1,125 households, and 811 families residing in the town. The population density was 818.4 people per square mile (315.7/km²). There were 1,274 housing units at an average density of 363.3 per square mile (140.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 65.68% White, 30.84% African American, 0.14% Native American, 0.66% Asian, 1.67% from other races, and 1.01% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.41% of the population.

There were 1,125 households out of which 43.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.3% were married couples living together, 29.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.9% were non-families. 24.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 2.96.

Pick the Right Esthetician School near Duncan SC

Locating and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is essential to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to collect all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the academy and program you pick are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented 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 examination, you will be confident that you are qualified to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Duncan SC.