How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Laurens SC

How to Enroll In an Esthetics Training Program near Laurens South Carolina

Laurens SC esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Laurens SC, the process starts to find and enroll in the best program. It’s important that the program you choose not only provides the necessary training for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you might be rather puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a little bit more about that in the following section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Laurens residence. Tuition will additionally be an important aspect when evaluating prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the best choice. There are several other considerations that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over 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 programs are offered.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Laurens SC Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more attractive with the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many 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. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you go through some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Laurens SC beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many titles 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 previously stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees

Laurens SC esthetician client with face mask There are basically two avenues available to obtain esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally call for 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree usually 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 offered if you prefer to focus on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Laurens SC business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you opt for, it’s important to make sure that it’s recognized by the South Carolina Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the next segment.

Online Esthetician Training

woman attending esthetician school online in Laurens SC Online esthetician programs are accommodating for Laurens SC students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to attend 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 conventional beauty programs are often fast paced because many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not spending many hours away from your home or driving to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the training program you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Training Programs

Laurens SC models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a list of questions that you should look into for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Laurens residence, together with the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced 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 school. Following we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the esthetician school you choose 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 securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 29360 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Laurens SC employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Laurens SC salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to propose others that you had not considered. Finally, check with the South Carolina school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you choose a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your goal is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your aspiration is to launch a Laurens SC beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.

Is Any Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the best option for cultivating your skills. So look for other schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s essential that he or she receives help in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develop relationships with Laurens SC employers that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Talk to 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 available to students too. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an option before you find out what financial help may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Laurens SC?

Perhaps you live in the Laurens 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.

Laurens, South Carolina

Located in the Upstate region of South Carolina, the city of Laurens is named after John Laurens of Revolutionary War fame. It is part of the Greenville–Mauldin–Easley Metropolitan Statistical Area.

The town of Laurens was established by an act of the General Assembly on March 15, 1785 as a location for commercial activities. It was one of the six counties created from the Old Ninety-Six District of South Carolina.[4] Laurens was originally named Laurensville. On December 15, 1845, a charter was issued with the name of Laurensville. The first appearance of the town named Laurens was in an 1873 charter.[5] The town of Laurens was chartered in 1900 and in 1916. The town was named in the honor of Henry Laurens, the South Carolina statesman.[4]

The first inhabitants of Laurens were the Cherokee Indians. They used the land as their hunting and fighting ground. There has been evidence of broken potsherds, weapons, and a mound found linked to Cherokee culture on land now called Laurens. There were many treaties made with the Cherokee Indians over the land known as Laurens County dating back to 1721.[6] Before the America Revolution thousands of immigrants, mainly from Scotland and Ireland, settled in Laurens County. Later Laurens developed into a major intersection of commerce in the colonial America. In the Battle of Musgrove Mill, Laurens witnessed intense fighting.[4]

Choose the Right Esthetician Vocational School near Laurens SC

Choosing and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is important to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to consolidate all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the school and program you decide on are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are ready to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Laurens SC.