How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Bethel VT

How to Pick an Esthetics School near Bethel Vermont

Bethel VT esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Bethel VT, the process begins to search for and enroll in the right program. It’s important that the school you pick not only provides the necessary training for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be rather confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a little bit further concerning that in the upcoming section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Bethel home. Tuition will additionally be a critical factor when reviewing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the best option. There are various other factors that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Bethel VT Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more attractive with the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic can be anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you take some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Bethel VT beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many titles 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 earlier mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees and Certificates

Bethel VT esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two pathways available to obtain 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 normally take 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you want to specialize in just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Bethel VT business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you decide on, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s recognized by the Vermont Board of Cosmetology. Many states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming segment.

Online Esthetician Schools

woman attending esthetician school online in Bethel VT Online esthetician programs are accommodating for Bethel VT students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are many web-based beauty school programs available that can be accessed through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced because many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting many hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the school you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Programs

Bethel VT models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Bethel home, as well as the cost of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to earn 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 initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the esthetician training program you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national agency, 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 available in 05032 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Bethel VT businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent 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. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Bethel VT salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, 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. Finally, consult the Vermont school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you select a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your intention 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 Bethel VT 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 pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Enough Live Training Provided? Learning and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy offers limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. So look for other schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s essential that he or she receives support in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develop relationships with Bethel VT businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and find out 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 extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Almost all esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are considering 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 available to students too. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an option before you find out what financial assistance may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Bethel VT?

Perhaps you live in the Bethel Vermont 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.

Bethel, Vermont

Bethel is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,030 at the 2010 census.[3] The town includes the locations of Bethel village, Bethel-Gilead, East Bethel, Lilliesville, Lympus (formerly Olympus), and West Bethel. Bethel is best known for being the source of Bethel White granite which was used to build Union Station (Washington, D.C.) and the National Museum of Natural History. Bethel was the first town created by the independent Republic of Vermont in 1779 and was named after the Biblical village of Bethel.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 45.4 square miles (117.7 km2), of which 45.2 square miles (117.0 km2) is land and 0.27 square miles (0.7 km2), or 0.58%, is water.[4]

Bethel is crossed by Interstate 89 (Exit 3 serves the town), Vermont Route 12 and Vermont Route 107. Amtrak's Vermonter train, operating daily between St. Albans and Washington, DC also passes through, but does not stop in town as it traverses the New England Central Railroad. The closest stations are Randolph to the north and White River Junction to the southeast.

Select the Right Esthetics School near Bethel VT

Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician school is imperative to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Make certain to collect 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 compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you choose are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. 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 right choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to start your career as a professional esthetician in Bethel VT.