How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools New Market VA

How to Find the Right Esthetics College near New Market Virginia

New Market VA esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near New Market VA, the process starts to locate and enroll in the best program. It’s imperative that the school you pick not only furnishes the appropriate education for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be rather unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a bit further concerning that in the upcoming segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your New Market residence. Tuition will also be an important factor when assessing potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not always the right choice. There are various other qualifications that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners New Market VA Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more attractive with the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually 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, the majority of states require that you take some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only New Market VA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a client base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many professional names 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 formerly mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees and Certificates

New Market VA esthetician client with face mask There are basically two pathways available to obtain esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally require 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 trained in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also probably include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other New Market VA business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you decide on, it’s essential to make sure that it’s certified by the Virginia Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming section.

Online Esthetics Programs

woman attending esthetician school online in New Market VA Online esthetician programs are convenient for New Market VA students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are often fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as brief 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 amount of material, but you’re not spending many hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it’s important that the program you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Training Programs

New Market 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 considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your New Market home, in addition to the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the esthetician school you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national organization, 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 important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in 22844 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 New Market VA businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each esthetician college 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 businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with New Market VA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And last, consult 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 Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you choose a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your dream is to start a New Market VA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques requires lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s imperative that she or he receives assistance in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance maintain relationships with New Market VA businesses that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Check 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. Higher rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? The majority of esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students also. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an option until you determine what financial assistance may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near New Market VA?

Perhaps you live in the New Market 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.

New Market, Virginia

New Market is a town in Shenandoah County, Virginia, United States. Founded as a small crossroads town between the north south route 11 and the east west route 211, with crosses the Massanutten mountain at the town's titular gap, New Market remains a small town with a population of 2,146 as of the most recent 2010 U.S. census. New Market is home to the New Market Shockers of the Rockingham County Baseball League, The New Market Rebels of the Valley Baseball League, the Schultz Theatre and School of Performing Arts, and the Shenvalee golf Course. Most notably the town was the location of the last major Confederate victory in the War Between the States.

On May 15, 1864, New Market was the site of the Battle of New Market - a battle in the Valley Campaigns of 1864 in the American Civil War. Students from the Virginia Military Institute fought alongside the Confederate Army and forced Union General Franz Sigel and his army out of the Shenandoah Valley. Every year VMI cadets commemorate the 85-mile march from Lexington to New Market done by the cadets in 1864 which ended in their victorious charge at the Battle of New Market.

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, New Market has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.[6]

Enroll in the Right Esthetician Program near New Market VA

Choosing and enrolling in the right esthetician college is imperative to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to organize all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to contrast schools. A good start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the academy and program you choose are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in New Market VA.