How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Lovettsville VA

How to Pick an Esthetics Training Program near Lovettsville Virginia

Lovettsville VA esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Lovettsville VA, the task starts to find and enroll in the best program. It’s important that the program you choose not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be a little bit puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a bit more regarding that in the next segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Lovettsville residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical factor when reviewing potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not always the ideal option. There are various other qualifications that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are offered.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Lovettsville VA Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic can be anything that improves the appearance 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 licensed, the work environments include not only Lovettsville VA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles and work in a wide range of specialties including:

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

As already mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. 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 Certificates and Degrees

Lovettsville 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 usually 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. Briefer programs are offered if you want to specialize in just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Lovettsville VA business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you decide on, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s recognized by the Virginia Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming segment.

Online Esthetics Training

woman attending esthetician school online in Lovettsville VA Online esthetician classes are advantageous for Lovettsville VA students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are many web-based beauty school programs available that can be attended through a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are often fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not spending many hours away from your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the program you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Training Programs

Lovettsville VA models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you will want to look into for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Lovettsville residence, together with the price of tuition, will undoubtedly 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 reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have collected some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain 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 measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in 20180 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Lovettsville VA employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional 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. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Lovettsville VA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. And last, check with 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? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you select a school that specializes in 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 well regarded for that program. If your vision is to launch a Lovettsville 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 seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Practicing and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques requires lots of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s imperative that he or she gets aid in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide aid develop relationships with Lovettsville VA employers that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and find out 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 offered to students also. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not drop it as an alternative before you learn what financial aid may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Lovettsville VA?

Perhaps you live in the Lovettsville 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.

Lovettsville, Virginia

Lovettsville is a town in Loudoun County, located near the very northern tip of the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States. Settled primarily by German immigrants, the town was originally established in 1836.

Following the 1722 Treaty of St. Albans which established the Blue Ridge Mountains as the buffer between Native Americans and white settlers, German immigrants began arriving in the northern Loudoun Valley to farm the rich topsoil. They established several villages, many constructed of log and wooden buildings, and began to expand their land holdings. Lovettsville was then called The German Settlement.

In 1820 David Lovett subdivided his property into quarter-acre "city lots." As a result of the ensuing construction boom, the town was called Newtown. In 1828, the town was again renamed Lovettsville. In 1836 the Virginia General Assembly established Lovettsville as a town, but the town was not fully incorporated until 1876.

Pick the Right Esthetics College near Lovettsville VA

Locating and enrolling in the right esthetician college is imperative to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Don’t forget to organize all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the academy and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Lovettsville VA.