How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools La Grange TX

How to Find the Right Esthetician College near La Grange Texas

La Grange TX esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near La Grange TX, the task starts to find and enroll in the best program. It’s imperative that the program you select not only furnishes the proper instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be a little bit unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll talk a bit further concerning that in the following section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your La Grange residence. Tuition will additionally be an important consideration when assessing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not always the ideal option. There are several other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are available.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners La Grange TX Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful through the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states mandate that you go through some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only La Grange TX beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional names and work in a wide range of specialties including:

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

As previously stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees and Certificates

La Grange TX esthetician client with face mask There are basically two pathways offered to get 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 call for 12 to 18 months to complete, 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 main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you prefer to focus on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also most likely incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other La Grange TX business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you choose, it’s important to make certain that it’s recognized by the Texas Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the next segment.

Online Esthetician Courses

woman attending esthetician school online in La Grange TX Online esthetician programs are convenient for La Grange TX students who are working full time and have family commitments that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are typically fast paced because many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not devoting many hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the program you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Programs

La Grange TX models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you will want to research for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your La Grange residence, together with the price of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the esthetician school you choose 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 measure up to their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 78945 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of La Grange TX businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any esthetician institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers 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 along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with La Grange TX salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to propose others that you had not considered. Finally, contact the Texas school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing 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 frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you enroll in 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 well regarded for that program. If your desire is to open a La Grange TX beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty academy furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore 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 important that she or he gets aid in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develop relationships with La Grange TX employers that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are looking at 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 verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Almost all esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students as well. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not omit it as an option until you find out what financial aid may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near La Grange TX?

Perhaps you live in the La Grange Texas 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.

La Grange, Texas

La Grange (/lə ˈɡreɪndʒ/ lə GRAYNJ) is a city in Fayette County, Texas, United States, near the Colorado River. It is located between Houston and Austin on Texas State Highway 71. The population was 4,641 at the 2010 census,[3] and in 2015 the estimated population was 4,712.[4] La Grange is the county seat of Fayette County.[5]

La Grange was the site of an early crossing of the Colorado River along La Bahía (Lower Road) of the El Camino Real (Kings Highway), during the Spanish period. The earliest Anglo-American settlers in the area were Aylett C. Buckner and Peter Powell, who lived slightly to the west. The first Anglo-American settlement on the city's present location was by Stephen F. Austin's band of colonists in 1822. John Henry Moore built a blockhouse in 1828 (some sources cite 1826) as protection from the Comanche. The building is known as Moore's Fort and can be found today in nearby Round Top, having been moved there for restoration.[6]

By 1831 a small community had developed around Moore's Fort.[7] The town of La Grange was platted in 1837, during the Republic of Texas period, as the county seat for the then-new county of Fayette. Both of these place names were in honor of the Marquis de Lafayette, who fought with the Americans and aided the cause of the American Revolution; he died in 1834.[8] Lafayette's castle in France for which La Grange was named is the Château de la Grange-Bléneau.

Enroll in the Right Esthetics Vocational School near La Grange TX

Locating and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is important to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel confident about your decision. Don’t forget to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you choose are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to start your career as a professional esthetician in La Grange TX.