How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Ashland VA

How to Choose an Esthetics Course near Ashland Virginia

Ashland VA esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Ashland VA, the process starts to find and enroll in the best program. It’s essential that the school you pick not only furnishes the appropriate education for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you might be a little bit unclear 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 speak a bit further concerning that in the upcoming section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Ashland residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical consideration when evaluating prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the right option. There are many other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are available.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Ashland VA Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the application 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 really a cosmetic can be 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 take some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Ashland VA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues 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 seeing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many names and are employed 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 most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees

Ashland VA esthetician client with face mask There are basically two avenues offered to get esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally require 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 instructed in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you wish to concentrate on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also most likely incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Ashland VA business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you go with, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s recognized by the Virginia Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following segment.

Online Esthetician Schools

woman attending esthetician school online in Ashland VA Online esthetician programs are convenient for Ashland VA students who are working full time and have family commitments that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based beauty school programs offered that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are often fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you’re not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the program you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Training Programs

Ashland VA models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Ashland home, as well as the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected some of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the esthetician training program 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 23005 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Ashland VA businesses will not hire 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 institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Ashland VA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. Finally, consult the Virginia school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you decide on a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your ambition 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 vision is to start a Ashland VA beauty salon, then you need 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 pursuing will not provide the training you require.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and refining esthetician techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty school furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. So search for alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s crucial that he or she gets help in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide aid maintain relationships with Ashland VA businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Almost all esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students too. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not discard it as an option before you learn what financial aid may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Ashland VA?

Perhaps you live in the Ashland 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.

Ashland, Virginia

Ashland is a town located 16 miles (26 km) north of Richmond along Interstate 95 and U.S. Route 1 in Hanover County, Virginia, United States. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 7,225,[4] up from 6,619 at the 2000 census.

Ashland is named after the Lexington, Kentucky estate of Hanover County native and statesman Henry Clay. It is the only incorporated town in Hanover County. Although comprising only one square mile when originally incorporated in 1858, today Ashland has grown through several annexations to a size of 7.16 square miles (18.5 km2), one of Virginia's larger towns in terms of land area.[citation needed]

The Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad initially developed the town in the 1840s as a mineral springs resort with a racetrack. The town was named "Ashland" after native son Henry Clay's estate in Kentucky and was officially incorporated on February 19, 1858. The area had been known as "The Slashes", sometimes translated as "swamp", but which also reflected the small ravines that formed in the sandy clay soil after hard rains.

Choose the Right Esthetician College near Ashland VA

Choosing and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is essential to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Don’t forget to organize all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the academy and program you choose are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are ready to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Ashland VA.