How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Scottsville VA

How to Choose an Esthetics Course near Scottsville Virginia

Scottsville VA esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Scottsville VA, the process starts to search for and enroll in the right program. It’s essential that the program you pick not only furnishes the necessary instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may be somewhat puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a bit further concerning that in the next segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Scottsville residence. Tuition will additionally be an important consideration when assessing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the ideal option. There are a number of other factors that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are available.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Scottsville VA Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So naturally 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 actually a cosmetic can be anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you undergo some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Scottsville VA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a customer base, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many professional names and are employed in a wide range of specializations including:

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

As earlier mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees

Scottsville VA esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two avenues offered to obtain 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 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 trained in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you want to specialize in just one area, for example 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 Scottsville VA business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you choose, it’s essential to make sure that it’s recognized by the Virginia Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming section.

Online Esthetics Training

woman attending esthetician school online in Scottsville VA Online esthetician programs are advantageous for Scottsville VA students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous online beauty school programs available that can be accessed via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are often fast paced given that many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not spending numerous hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the training program you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Training Classes

Scottsville VA models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Scottsville home, as well as the cost of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the esthetician school you pick 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 ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 24590 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Scottsville 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 a Great Reputation? Any esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Scottsville VA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And last, consult the Virginia school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you enroll in a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your objective 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 aspiration is to start a Scottsville 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 ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.

Is Any Live Training Provided? Studying and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty program offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for developing your skills. Therefore search for other schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s crucial that he or she gets support in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with Scottsville VA employers that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, ask 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 Aid Offered? The majority of esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might 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 satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not omit it as an option until you learn what financial aid may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Scottsville VA?

Perhaps you live in the Scottsville 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.

Scottsville, Virginia

According to Scottsville's website, the town "served as Virginia's westernmost center of government and commerce during the 1700s, when rivers were the primary means of travel in the new American wilderness." During the late 18th and the 19th centuries attempts were made to improve navigability along the James, as well as other central Virginian rivers. Part of this was the construction of a canal running roughly parallel with the James west from Richmond. Scottsville was the largest port town along this route, called the James River and Kanawha Canal. The ultimate goal of this project was to connect the Atlantic with the Ohio River via the Kanawha River. These aims were not achieved, due to interruption by the American Civil War and the efficiency of the railroads. It did however succeed in making Scottsville a busy, prominent town. In fact, thanks to a wagon road connecting Staunton to Scottsville, all of the agricultural wealth of the Shenandoah Valley poured into town en route to Richmond and the sea, thereby making Scottsville the largest grain market in the state. Trade was disrupted when Union soldiers broke the canal works in the area. Then the train came, the tracks being laid directly on the towpath of the old canal, a monument to its demise. Eventually, the train too stopped taking passengers, leaving Scottsville a sleepy country town on a coal line.

Scottsville was the birthplace of Thomas Staples Martin, who served five terms as a Democrat in the United States Senate representing Virginia.[3] Born at Scottsville in 1847, Martin served in the Confederate Army, then went on to practice law.[4]

The main highways serving Scottsville are Virginia State Route 6 and Virginia State Route 20. SR 6 extends westward towards Waynesboro and eastward towards Richmond. SR 20 extends northward towards Charlottesville and southward towards Dillwyn.

Select the Right Esthetics College near Scottsville VA

Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician school is important to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Don’t forget to collect all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the school and program you decide on are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are qualified to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Scottsville VA.