How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Bluefield VA

How to Find the Right Esthetician School near Bluefield Virginia

Bluefield VA esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Bluefield VA, the process begins to locate and enroll in the ideal program. It’s imperative that the program you choose not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start 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 basically interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll talk a little bit more concerning that in the upcoming section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Bluefield residence. Tuition will likewise 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 always the right choice. There are various other qualifications that you should evaluate when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are available.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Bluefield VA Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you go through some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Bluefield VA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a client base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own residences or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many titles and are employed in a wide range of specializations including:

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

As previously mentioned, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees and Certificates

Bluefield VA esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two options available to receive esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally require 12 to 18 months to complete, 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 main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you want to concentrate on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Bluefield VA business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you decide on, it’s essential to make certain that it’s approved by the Virginia Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following segment.

Online Esthetics Schools

woman attending esthetician school online in Bluefield VA Online esthetician schools are convenient for Bluefield VA students who are working full-time and have family commitments that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs offered that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools are typically fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not spending numerous hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the training program you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure 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 necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Degree Programs

Bluefield VA models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Bluefield home, together with the expense of tuition, will probably be your initial 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 options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have put together some of those additional 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 enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 24605 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Bluefield VA businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Bluefield VA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. And finally, contact the Virginia school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are broad 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 essential that you enroll in a school that specializes in 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 well regarded for that program. If your vision is to launch a Bluefield VA beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and refining esthetician techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy provides limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the best option for acquiring your skills. Therefore search for other schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s important that she or he receives assistance in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer aid maintain relationships with Bluefield VA businesses that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Most esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students also. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not discard it as an option until you find out what financial aid may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Bluefield VA?

Perhaps you live in the Bluefield 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.

Bluefield, Virginia

Bluefield is a town in Tazewell County, Virginia, United States, located along the Bluestone River. The population was 5,444 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Bluefield WV-VA micropolitan area which has a population of 107,342. The micropolitan area is the 350th largest statistical population area in the United States.

As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 5,078 people, 2,134 households, and 1,423 families residing in the town. The population density was 669.9 people per square mile (258.7/km²). There were 2,349 housing units at an average density of 309.9 per square mile (119.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 92.30% White, 4.86% African American, 0.32% Native American, 1.42% Asian, 0.12% from other races, and 0.98% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.41% of the population.

There were 2,134 households out of which 21.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.3% were married couples living together, 8.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.3% were non-families. 30.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.77.

Find the Right Esthetician School near Bluefield VA

Selecting and enrolling in the right esthetician college is imperative to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the academy and program you pick are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. 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 proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Bluefield VA.