How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Portland TX

How to Pick an Esthetics Course near Portland Texas

Portland TX esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Portland TX, the task starts to locate and enroll in the ideal program. It’s imperative that the school you select not only furnishes the appropriate training for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be somewhat confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll speak a little bit more about that in the following section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Portland home. Tuition will additionally be a critical consideration when reviewing possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the ideal option. There are a number of other qualifications that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are thinking about 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 Portland TX Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many 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, almost all states require that you go through some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Portland TX beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a customer base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many names 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 formerly mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few 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, which include shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees

Portland 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 finish, while an Associate’s degree ordinarily takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you wish to specialize in just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Portland TX business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you go with, it’s important to make certain that it’s approved by the Texas Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following section.

Online Esthetics Courses

woman attending esthetician school online in Portland TX Online esthetician schools are convenient for Portland TX students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous online beauty school programs offered that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced given that many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not spending many hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the training program you choose can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Training Programs

Portland TX models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Portland residence, together with the cost of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the esthetician school 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 measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 78374 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Portland TX employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Portland TX salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And finally, consult the Texas school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering 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 important that you decide on a school that focuses on 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 dream is to open a Portland TX beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Enough Live Training Provided? Practicing and refining esthetician techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty academy furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. So try to find alternate schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s crucial that she or he receives assistance in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develop relationships with Portland TX employers that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students as well. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an option until you find out what financial assistance may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Portland TX?

Perhaps you live in the Portland 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.

Portland, Texas

Portland is located at 27°52′59″N 97°19′14″W / 27.88306°N 97.32056°W / 27.88306; -97.32056 (27.883117, -97.320466).[4] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 9.6 square miles (24.9 km²), of which 7.0 square miles (18.1 km²) is land and 2.6 square miles (6.8 km²) (27.44%) is water. The city is roughly equidistant from Portland, Maine and Portland, Oregon.[5] In 2014 and 2015, the city annexed an additional 1.27 square miles bringing the total area to 10.87 square miles.[6]

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 14,827 people, 5,021 households, and 4,051 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,125.5 people per square mile (820.2/km²). There were 5,351 housing units at an average density of 767.1 per square mile (296.0/km²).

There were 5,021 households out of which 47.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.6% were married couples living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.3% were non-families. 16.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.94 and the average family size was 3.30.

Find the Right Esthetics Program near Portland TX

Choosing and enrolling in the right esthetician school is essential to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Don’t forget to collect all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are prepared to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Portland TX.