How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools San Antonio TX

How to Pick an Esthetics Training Program near San Antonio Texas

San Antonio TX esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near San Antonio TX, the process begins to search for and enroll in the ideal program. It’s important that the program you select not only provides the proper instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial 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 refer to the same type of school. We’ll talk a bit more regarding that in the following section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your San Antonio residence. Tuition will also be a critical factor when assessing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the best choice. There are a number of other qualifications that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning 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 kinds of courses are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners San Antonio TX Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you go through some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only San Antonio TX beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a client base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many names and work in a wide variety of specialties including:

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

As previously mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

San Antonio TX esthetician client with face mask There are basically two avenues offered to get 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 typically 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 trained in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you want to specialize in just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other San Antonio TX business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you choose, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s recognized by the Texas Board of Cosmetology. A number of 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 choose in the following segment.

Online Esthetics Training

woman attending esthetician school online in San Antonio TX Online esthetician schools are accommodating for San Antonio TX students who are employed full-time and have family commitments that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online beauty school programs offered that can be attended via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are typically fast paced since many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not devoting many hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it’s important that the training program you select 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 obtain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Schools

San Antonio TX models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you should investigate for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your San Antonio home, together with the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn 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 consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have put together several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the esthetician training program you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 78201 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many San Antonio TX employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with San Antonio TX salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, 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. And finally, contact the Texas school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you select a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your ambition 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 start a San Antonio 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 regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and refining esthetician techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program provides limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best option for cultivating your skills. So look for alternate schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s imperative that he or she gets support in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish aid maintain relationships with San Antonio TX businesses that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? Many esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating 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 available to students also. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you learn what financial help may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near San Antonio TX?

Perhaps you live in the San Antonio 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.

San Antonio

San Antonio (/ˌsæn ænˈtoʊnioʊ/; from Spanish, "Saint Anthony"), officially the City of San Antonio, is the seventh most populous city in the United States and the second most populous city in both Texas and the Southern United States.[5] Founded as a Spanish mission and colonial outpost in 1718, the city became the first chartered civil settlement in Texas in 1731, making it the state's oldest municipality.[6][7] The city's deep history is contrasted with its rapid growth: it was the fastest-growing of the top ten largest cities in the United States from 2000 to 2010, and the second from 1990 to 2000.[8][9] Straddling the regional divide between South and Central Texas, San Antonio anchors the southwestern corner of an urban megaregion colloquially known as the "Texas Triangle".

San Antonio serves as the seat of Bexar County; recent annexations have extended the city's boundaries into Medina County and, for a tiny area near the city of Garden Ridge, into Comal County.[10][11] Since San Antonio was founded during the Spanish Colonial Era, it has a church (San Fernando Cathedral) in its center, on the main civic plaza in front, a characteristic of many Spanish-founded cities, towns, and villages in Spain and Latin America. As with many other Western urban centers, areas outside the city limits are sparsely populated.

San Antonio is the center of the San Antonio–New Braunfels metropolitan statistical area. Commonly called Greater San Antonio, the metro area has a population of 2,473,974 based on the 2017 U.S. census estimate, making it the 24th-largest metropolitan area in the United States and third-largest in Texas.[12] Growth along the Interstate 35 and Interstate 10 corridors to the north, west and east make it likely that the metropolitan area will continue to expand.

Choose the Right Esthetician School near San Antonio TX

Locating and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is important to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A sensible 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 start with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are ready to start your new career as a professional esthetician in San Antonio TX.