How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Bedford VA

How to Enroll In an Esthetician Program near Bedford Virginia

Bedford VA esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Bedford VA, the process begins to find and enroll in the ideal program. It’s essential that the school you select not only furnishes the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be rather unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll speak a little bit further concerning that in the next segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Bedford home. Tuition will likewise be a critical consideration when reviewing possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the right choice. There are a number of other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are available.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Bedford VA Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic can be almost anything that improves 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 form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Bedford VA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a client base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own residences or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional names and work in a wide range of specializations including:

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

As formerly stated, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees

Bedford VA esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two options offered to obtain esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally take 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 all of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you want to specialize in just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also most likely incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Bedford VA business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you opt for, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s certified by the Virginia Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming section.

Online Esthetician Schools

woman attending esthetician school online in Bedford VA Online esthetician programs are accommodating for Bedford VA students who are employed full-time and have family commitments that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based beauty school programs available that can be accessed by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are frequently fast paced given that many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not spending many hours outside of your home or commuting to and from classes. However, it’s imperative that the school you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Trade Schools

Bedford VA models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you will want to look into for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Bedford residence, together with the cost 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 narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have collected some of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the esthetician training program you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 24523 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Bedford VA businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Bedford VA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. And finally, consult 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? A number of 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, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you decide on a school that specializes in 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 respected for that program. If your dream is to open a Bedford VA 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 weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.

Is Any Live Training Provided? Studying and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty program offers limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s crucial that he or she receives aid in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develop relationships with Bedford VA employers that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and find out 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 offered to students also. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an option until you learn what financial help may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Bedford VA?

Perhaps you live in the Bedford 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.

Bedford, Virginia

Bedford is an incorporated town and former independent city located within Bedford County in the U.S. state of Virginia. It serves as the county seat of Bedford County. As of the 2010 census, the population was 6,222.[3] It is part of the Lynchburg Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Bedford was originally known as Liberty, "named after the Colonial victory over Cornwallis at Yorktown." [4] Founded as a village in 1782, Liberty became Bedford County's seat of government, replacing New London which had become part of the newly formed Campbell County. Liberty became a town in 1839 and in 1890 changed its name to Bedford City. In 1912 Bedford reverted to town status, it resumed city status in 1968,[5] and once more it reverted to a town in 2013.[6]

Bedford is home to the National D-Day Memorial (despite the "National" in its name, the memorial is owned and operated by a non-governmental, non-profit, education foundation). The United States Congress warranted that this memorial would be the nation's D-Day Memorial and President Bill Clinton authorized this effort in September 1996. President George W. Bush dedicated this memorial as the nation's D-Day memorial on June 6, 2001. Bedford lost more residents per capita in the Normandy landings than any other American community. Nineteen soldiers from Bedford, whose 1944 population was about 3,200, were killed on D-Day. Three other Bedford soldiers died later in the Normandy campaign. Proportionally this community suffered the nation's severest D-Day losses.[7]

Enroll in the Right Esthetician College near Bedford VA

Selecting and enrolling in the right esthetician college is important to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to compile all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you decide on are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are ready to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Bedford VA.