How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Farmville VA

How to Choose an Esthetics College near Farmville Virginia

Farmville VA esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Farmville VA, the process begins to search for and enroll in the right program. It’s imperative that the school you pick not only provides the necessary education for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you might be somewhat puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a bit further about that in the next section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Farmville home. Tuition will likewise be an important factor when evaluating possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not always the ideal choice. There are many other qualifications that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are available.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Farmville VA Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more attractive with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you take some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Farmville VA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues 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 seeing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many 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 already mentioned, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetics Certificates and Degrees

Farmville VA esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two options 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 complete, 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. Shorter programs are offered if you want to focus on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Farmville VA business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you opt for, it’s important to make certain that it’s certified by the Virginia Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the following segment.

Online Esthetician Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Farmville VA Online esthetician schools are accommodating for Farmville VA students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed through a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are typically 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 dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it’s vital that the program you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Degree Programs

Farmville VA models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you will want to look into for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Farmville home, together with the cost of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly 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 take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the esthetician school you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 23901 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Farmville VA employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Farmville VA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. And finally, contact the Virginia school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you choose a school that focuses on 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 respected for that program. If your dream is to launch a Farmville VA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty school provides little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best option for developing your skills. So look for other schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s imperative that he or she receives help in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide aid develop relationships with Farmville VA employers that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, 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 respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Consult 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 accessible to students also. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an option before you determine what financial help may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Farmville VA?

Perhaps you live in the Farmville 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.

Farmville, Virginia

The Appomattox River traverses Farmville, along with the High Bridge Trail State Park, a more than 30-mile-long (48 km) rail trail park. At the intersection of US 15, VA 45 and US 460, Farmville is the home of Longwood University and is the town nearest to Hampden–Sydney College.

Farmville was the end of the line for the Upper Appomattox Canal Navigation System between 1795 until 1890. African Americans built the canal system. Tobacco and farm produce could be loaded into a James River bateau in Farmville and sent to Petersburg, Virginia. The canals were used until railroads became common.[5] Many of the boatmen who worked in the Upper Appomattox Navigation, near Farmville were free people of color, who lived in the Israel Hill community. Israel Hill was home to free African American laborers, craftsmen and farmers freed around 1810, and White people. People of African and European descent worked for the same wages; built a church together and could be defended in court within the 350 acre town.[6]

John Flournoy was the first to mine coal near Farmville. He started in 1833 working on a seam, which was two feet thick. In 1837 the General Assembly granted a charter to “The Prince Edward Coal Mining Company” to mine and sell coal. This company was still in operation into the 1880s.[7]

Enroll in the Right Esthetics College near Farmville VA

Picking and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is essential to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Don’t forget to collect all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you pick are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Farmville VA.