How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Greer SC

How to Enroll In an Esthetician Training Program near Greer South Carolina

Greer SC esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Greer SC, the task begins to find and enroll in the ideal program. It’s imperative that the program you pick not only provides the appropriate education for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be somewhat confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a little bit more regarding that in the upcoming section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Greer residence. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when assessing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the right option. There are several other factors that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Greer SC Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more attractive through the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic can be anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you take some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Greer SC beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a clientele, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many titles and work in a wide range of specializations including:

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

As earlier mentioned, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees

Greer SC esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two pathways offered to get esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally take 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 major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Greer SC business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you go with, it’s important to make certain that it’s recognized by the South Carolina Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming section.

Online Esthetician Schools

woman attending esthetician school online in Greer SC Online esthetician programs are convenient for Greer SC students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs available that can be attended by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are frequently fast paced given that many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, 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 important that the school you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Programs

Greer SC models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you need to research for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Greer home, in addition to the cost of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have collected some of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.

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 certified local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 29650 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Greer SC employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Check rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Greer SC salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. And finally, check with the South Carolina school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you choose a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your objective 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 open a Greer 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 poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and refining esthetician techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty school furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. So try to find alternate schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s crucial that he or she gets help in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide aid maintain relationships with Greer SC businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? The majority of esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Talk to 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 also. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an alternative until you learn what financial assistance may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Greer SC?

Perhaps you live in the Greer 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.

Greer, South Carolina

Greer is a city in Greenville and Spartanburg counties in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 25,515 as of the 2010 census[3] and had risen to an estimated 28,365 as of 2015. The eastern part of the city is in Spartanburg County, while the bulk of the city is in Greenville County. It is part of the Greenville–Anderson–Mauldin Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is additionally part of the Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson, SC Combined Statistical Area in Upstate South Carolina.

Greer is adjacent to Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP), which serves Greenville, Spartanburg, and the Upstate. Greer is also the site of the only BMW manufacturing facility in North America. According to a June 2005 article in The Greenville News, BMW's Greer plant employs about 9,000 people, and has attracted dozens of suppliers in South Carolina, providing jobs for more than 12,000 people. Greer is home to the South Carolina Inland Port, an intermodal facility that receives and sends containers by rail to the Port of Charleston.

Greer is located at 34°55′49″N 82°13′30″W / 34.93028°N 82.22500°W / 34.93028; -82.22500 (34.930304, −82.225052).[4] It is 12 miles (19 km) northeast of Greenville and 17 miles (27 km) west of Spartanburg, both via U.S. Route 29.

Find the Right Esthetics School near Greer SC

Choosing and enrolling in the right esthetician college is important to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive 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 employ that information to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the academy and program you pick are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. Once 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 Greer SC.