How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Odessa TX

How to Select an Esthetician Program near Odessa Texas

Odessa TX esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Odessa TX, the task begins to search for and enroll in the best program. It’s important that the school you pick not only furnishes the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be rather confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a little bit more about that in the upcoming segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Odessa home. Tuition will also be an important aspect when evaluating prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the ideal choice. There are many other considerations that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are available.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Odessa TX Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you take some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Odessa TX beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many names and are employed 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 some states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees and Certificates

Odessa TX 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 work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually call for 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 instructed in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you want 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 salon or other Odessa TX business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you opt for, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s recognized by the Texas Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the following section.

Online Esthetician Courses

woman attending esthetician school online in Odessa TX Online esthetician schools are accommodating for Odessa TX students who are working full time and have family commitments that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs offered that can be attended via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are frequently fast paced given 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 online courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not devoting many hours away from your home or driving to and from classes. However, it’s imperative that the program you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Training Programs

Odessa TX models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you should investigate for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Odessa home, as well as the price of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt 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 consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the esthetician school you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 79760 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Odessa TX employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each esthetician institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Odessa TX salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And last, check with the Texas school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing 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 expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you choose a school that specializes in 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 aspiration is to start a Odessa TX beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty program provides little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. So search for alternate schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s important that she or he receives aid in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develop relationships with Odessa TX businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, 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 Available? The majority of esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students as well. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an option before you learn what financial help may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Odessa TX?

Perhaps you live in the Odessa 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.

Odessa, Texas

Odessa /ˌoʊˈdɛsə/ is a city in and the county seat of Ector County, Texas, United States. It is located primarily in Ector County, although a small section of the city extends into Midland County.[3] Odessa's population was 118,918 at the 2010 census, making it the 29th-most populous city in Texas; estimates as of July 2015 indicate a population of 159,436 in the city.[4] It is the principal city of the Odessa Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Ector County. The metropolitan area is also a component of the larger Midland–Odessa combined statistical area, which had a 2010 census population of 278,801; a recent report from the United States Census Bureau estimates that the combined population as of July 2015 is 320,513.[4][5] In 2014, Forbes magazine ranked Odessa as the third-fastest growing small city in the United States.[6]

Odessa was founded in 1881 as a water stop and cattle-shipping point on the Texas and Pacific Railway. The first post office opened in 1885. Odessa became the county seat of Ector County in 1891 when the county was first organized. It was incorporated as a city in 1927, after oil was discovered in Ector County on the Connell Ranch southwest of Odessa.[8]

With the opening of the Penn Field in 1929, and the Cowden Field in 1930, oil became a major draw for new residents. In 1925, the population was just 750; by 1929, it had risen to 5,000. For the rest of the 20th century, the city's population and economy grew rapidly during each of a succession of oil booms (roughly in the 1930s–50s, 1970s, and 2010s), often with accompanying contractions during the succeeding busts (particularly in the 1960s and 1980s).[8]

Find the Right Esthetician Program near Odessa TX

Choosing and enrolling in the right esthetician program is imperative to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to compile all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the institution and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. Once 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 Odessa TX.