How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Chattanooga TN

How to Enroll In an Esthetics School near Chattanooga Tennessee

Chattanooga TN esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Chattanooga TN, the process starts to search for and enroll in the ideal program. It’s essential that the school you pick not only furnishes the necessary education for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be a little bit confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a bit more about that in the next segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Chattanooga residence. Tuition will also be an important consideration when evaluating prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not always the best option. There are several other considerations that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are offered.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Chattanooga TN Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more attractive with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be almost anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you undergo some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Chattanooga TN beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a client base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many 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 stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees

Chattanooga TN esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two pathways available to receive 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 generally take 12 to 18 months to finish, 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. Shorter programs are available if you wish to focus on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Chattanooga TN business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties 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 Tennessee Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following section.

Online Esthetics Courses

woman attending esthetician school online in Chattanooga TN Online esthetician programs are convenient for Chattanooga TN students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are many online cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools are often fast paced given that many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not spending many hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the program you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Training Programs

Chattanooga TN models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a list of questions that you should investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Chattanooga home, in addition to the cost of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have collected some of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the esthetician college you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged 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 important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 37401 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Chattanooga TN employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Chattanooga TN salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. Finally, consult the Tennessee school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted 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 areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you select 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 respected for that program. If your desire is to start a Chattanooga TN beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty academy provides little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s imperative that he or she gets support in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help develop relationships with Chattanooga TN businesses that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students also. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an option until you find out what financial help may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Chattanooga TN?

Perhaps you live in the Chattanooga Tennessee 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.

Chattanooga, Tennessee

Chattanooga is a city located along the Tennessee River near the southeastern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee. With an estimated population of 179,139 in 2017,[8] it is the fourth-largest city in Tennessee and one of the two principal cities of East Tennessee, along with Knoxville. Served by multiple railroads and Interstate highways, Chattanooga is a transit hub. Chattanooga lies 118 miles (190 km) northwest of Atlanta, Georgia, 112 miles (180 km) southwest of Knoxville, Tennessee, 134 miles (216 km) southeast of Nashville, Tennessee, 102 miles (164 km) northeast of Huntsville, Alabama, and 147 miles (237 km) northeast of Birmingham, Alabama.

The city, with a downtown elevation of approximately 680 feet (210 m), lies at the transition between the ridge-and-valley portion of the Appalachian Mountains and the Cumberland Plateau. Surrounded by mountains and ridges, the official nickname for Chattanooga is "Scenic City", reinforced by the city's reputation for outdoor activities. Unofficial nicknames include "River City", "Chatt", "Nooga", "Chattown", and "Gig City", referencing Chattanooga's claims that it has the fastest internet service in the Western Hemisphere.[9][10]

Chattanooga is internationally known for the 1941 song "Chattanooga Choo Choo" by Glenn Miller and his orchestra. Chattanooga is home to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) and Chattanooga State Community College.

Select the Right Esthetician School near Chattanooga TN

Locating and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is imperative to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to organize all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you pick are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Chattanooga TN.