How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools South Hill VA

How to Pick an Esthetics School near South Hill Virginia

South Hill 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 South Hill VA, the task begins to find and enroll in the right program. It’s important that the program you pick not only furnishes the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be somewhat confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll speak a little bit more concerning that in the next segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your South Hill residence. Tuition will additionally be an important aspect when assessing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the best option. There are several other considerations that you should evaluate when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are available.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners South Hill VA Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human anatomy look more attractive through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may 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 undergo some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only South Hill VA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a client base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing 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 specializations including:

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

As previously mentioned, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees

South Hill VA esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two avenues available to get 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 call for 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 trained in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you wish to concentrate on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other South Hill VA business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you choose, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s approved by the Virginia Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the next section.

Online Esthetics Schools

woman attending esthetician school online in South Hill VA Online esthetician classes are advantageous for South Hill VA students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs offered that can be attended by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are often fast paced because many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting many hours away from your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the training program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Training Programs

South Hill VA models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you will want to research for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your South Hill residence, together with the price of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the esthetician college you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 23970 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many South Hill 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 a Great Reputation? Any esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with South Hill VA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. Finally, check with the Virginia school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you enroll in a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your goal 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 desire is to start a South Hill VA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.

Is Any Live Training Provided? Studying and refining esthetician skills and techniques demands plenty 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 site that make it possible for students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty school provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. So search for other schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s essential that he or she receives aid in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with South Hill VA employers that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students as well. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not drop it as an option before you find out what financial aid may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near South Hill VA?

Perhaps you live in the South Hill 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.

South Hill, Virginia

South Hill is a town in Mecklenburg County, Virginia, United States. The population was 4,403 at the 2000 census. Located on major Interstate and U.S. highways, it has a full-service hospital (serving patients from several rural counties), a tobacco market, and several hotels. South Hill has a close relationship with the neighboring town of La Crosse. Lake Gaston, a large reservoir popular with boaters and fishermen, is a short distance to the southwest.

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 4,403 people, 1,809 households, and 1,190 families residing in the town. The population density was 696.2 people per square mile (269.0/km²). There were 1,988 housing units at an average density of 314.4/sq mi (121.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 58.37% White, 39.43% African American, 0.30% Native American, 1.00% Asian, 0.39% from other races, and 0.52% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.57% of the population.

There were 1,809 households out of which 27.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.7% were married couples living together, 18.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.2% were non-families. 30.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.88.

Find the Right Esthetician School near South Hill VA

Locating and enrolling in the right esthetician school is imperative to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Don’t forget to compile all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the institution and program you choose are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this article, 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 self-assured that you are qualified to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in South Hill VA.