How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Arcola VA

How to Find the Right Esthetician School near Arcola Virginia

Arcola VA esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Arcola VA, the process begins to locate and enroll in the best program. It’s important that the school you select not only provides the necessary training for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be a little bit confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a bit further about that in the next segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Arcola home. Tuition will additionally be an important consideration when evaluating potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the ideal choice. There are various other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are available.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Arcola VA Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more attractive with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be almost anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you undergo some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Arcola VA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have 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 formerly stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

Arcola VA esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two avenues offered to get esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally 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 all of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you want to focus on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Arcola VA business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you choose, it’s essential to make sure that it’s certified by the Virginia Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the following section.

Online Esthetician Schools

woman attending esthetician school online in Arcola VA Online esthetician classes are convenient for Arcola VA students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based beauty school programs available that can be attended through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are frequently fast paced because many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it’s vital that the school you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Programs

Arcola VA models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you should investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Arcola home, as well as the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following 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 select 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 20107 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Arcola VA businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Arcola VA salon owners or managers, or any person 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. Finally, check with the Virginia school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you decide on a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your objective is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to open a Arcola VA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty program provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s essential that he or she gets assistance in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance maintain relationships with Arcola VA employers that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire 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 extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might get approved 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 satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not drop it as an option before you determine what financial assistance may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Arcola VA?

Perhaps you live in the Arcola Virginia 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.

Arcola, Virginia

The genesis of Arcola was a small spring next to a gum tree that fed into the south fork of Broad Run, suitably called Gum Springs. During the colonial era a distillery, kiln and small church were established at the spring.

When Cameron Parish was established from the Truro Parish its glebe was established just northwest of the spring. The glebelands were sold off in 1802 when the Virginia General Assembly divested all Anglican glebes.

In 1801 the United States Post Office established a branch at the village, naming it Springfield. The branch closed in 1819. Thirteen years later the Post Office once again saw fit to locate a branch in the vicinity, but the success of the Little River Turnpike (present day U.S. Route 50) dictated that it would be located on that road south of the village and known on local maps as simply "Arcola P.O." (situated near the present day intersection of U.S. Route 50 and Hwy 616/Fleetwood Rd). The branch was named Arcola in honor of the Arcola Farm on which it was built. That branch stayed open until 1868 when the office was located back within the confines of the village. The village itself, however, remained identified on local maps as "Gum Spring" during most of the 19th century.

Find the Right Esthetician College near Arcola VA

Locating and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is imperative to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to consolidate all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A good start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the school and program you pick are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, 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 ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are ready to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Arcola VA.