How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Gainesville VA

How to Select an Esthetics Program near Gainesville Virginia

Gainesville VA esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Gainesville VA, the task begins to search for and enroll in the best program. It’s essential that the school you select not only furnishes the necessary training for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may be somewhat puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a bit more about that in the upcoming segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Gainesville residence. Tuition will additionally be a critical consideration when evaluating prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the best option. There are many other qualifications that you should weigh when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are available.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Gainesville VA Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic can be almost anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you go through some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Gainesville VA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many titles and are employed in a wide range of specialties including:

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

As earlier stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees

Gainesville VA esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two options available 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 typically call for 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree ordinarily takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you wish to focus on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Gainesville VA business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you opt for, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s approved by the Virginia Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the following section.

Online Esthetician Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Gainesville VA Online esthetician programs are accommodating for Gainesville VA students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs offered that can be accessed via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are often fast paced given that many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it’s important that the training program you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Trade Schools

Gainesville VA models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you should research for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Gainesville residence, in addition to the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together some of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the esthetician school you select 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 meet their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 20155 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Gainesville 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 an Excellent Reputation? Any esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Gainesville VA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. And finally, consult the Virginia school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you pick a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your goal 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 start a Gainesville 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 regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.

Is Enough Live Training Provided? Studying and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty program furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s crucial that he or she gets aid in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance maintain relationships with Gainesville VA employers that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school is a member of 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 eliminate it as an option before you determine what financial help may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Gainesville VA?

Perhaps you live in the Gainesville 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.

Gainesville, Virginia

Gainesville was once a changing point for stagecoach horses on the Fauquier & Alexandria Turnpike. In 1752, Thomas Jefferson reached the area and the stop became Gainesville. It was a shipping point for grain, timber, and cattle and remained a major cattle shipping point into the early 1960s. During the American Civil War, nearby Thoroughfare Gap in the Bull Run Mountains served as a path for soldiers to reach the First and Second battles of Bull Run. In 1994, the groundbreaking for Gainesville's first townhome community began; it was named Crossroads. This marked the beginning of mass-development for Gainesville.

In 2006, the VDOT began working on the Gainesville Interchange improvement project, with construction officially starting in July 2011, in order to ease the traffic in the rapidly growing Gainesville-Haymarket area. It was completed on July 9, 2015.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 10.3 square miles (26.6 km²), of which 9.7 square miles (25.2 km²) is land and 0.6 square mile (1.5 km²) (5.45%) is water.

Choose the Right Esthetician Training Program near Gainesville VA

Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician program is important to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Don’t forget to compile all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are ready to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Gainesville VA.