How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Hartwood VA

How to Find the Right Esthetician School near Hartwood Virginia

Hartwood VA esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Hartwood VA, the task starts to search for and enroll in the best program. It’s important that the school you pick not only furnishes the necessary training for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you may be rather unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a little bit further regarding that in the next segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Hartwood home. Tuition will also be a critical factor when reviewing prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the best option. There are a number of other qualifications that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, such as 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 discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are available.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Hartwood 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 described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic can be anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you take some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Hartwood VA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a clientele, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own residences or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many names and are employed in a wide variety of specializations including:

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

As already stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetics Certificates and Degrees

Hartwood VA esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two pathways offered 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 typically take 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 each of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you wish to concentrate on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Hartwood VA business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you go with, it’s important to make certain that it’s certified by the Virginia Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the following section.

Online Esthetician Courses

woman attending esthetician school online in Hartwood VA Online esthetician schools are convenient for Hartwood VA students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are typically fast paced because many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the school you select can provide internship training in local 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 acquire the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Programs

Hartwood 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 Hartwood home, together with the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue 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 additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make sure 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in 22471 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Hartwood VA employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Hartwood VA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. And last, check with the Virginia school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative 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 respected for that program. If your vision is to start a Hartwood 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 poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Studying and refining esthetician skills and techniques involves lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty academy furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best option for developing your skills. So search for other schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s imperative that she or he gets help in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with Hartwood VA businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Almost all esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Speak 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 offered to students too. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not drop it as an option before you find out what financial help may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Hartwood VA?

Perhaps you live in the Hartwood 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.

Hartwood, Virginia

Choose the Right Esthetics Program near Hartwood VA

Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician school is important to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require 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 utilize that information to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Hartwood VA.