How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Waterford VA

How to Find the Right Esthetics Training Program near Waterford Virginia

Waterford VA esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Waterford VA, the task starts to search for and enroll in the best program. It’s essential that the school you choose not only provides the necessary training for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be rather unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a bit further concerning that in the upcoming segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Waterford home. Tuition will also be a critical consideration when evaluating possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the ideal choice. There are many 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 thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Waterford VA Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more attractive through the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you go through some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Waterford 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, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles and are employed in a wide variety of specialties including:

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

As earlier stated, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetics Certificates and Degrees

Waterford VA esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two avenues available to obtain esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually 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 trained in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you wish to specialize in just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Waterford VA business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you go with, it’s essential to make certain that it’s approved by the Virginia Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the next segment.

Online Esthetician Courses

woman attending esthetician school online in Waterford VA Online esthetician schools are convenient for Waterford VA students who are working full time and have family commitments 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 accessed by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are typically fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. However, it’s imperative that the program you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. 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

Waterford VA models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you need to look into for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Waterford residence, together with the price of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make certain 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 measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 20197 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Waterford VA employers will not recruit 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 considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Check rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Waterford VA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. And last, contact 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 Focus? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing 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 broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you enroll in a school that focuses on 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 well regarded for that program. If your desire is to start a Waterford VA beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Enough Live Training Provided? Practicing and mastering esthetician skills and techniques demands lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty school offers limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best option for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s important that he or she receives help in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develop relationships with Waterford VA employers that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, 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 respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Almost all esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Consult 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 available to students too. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not discard it as an alternative until you learn what financial assistance may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Waterford VA?

Perhaps you live in the Waterford 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.

Waterford, Virginia

Waterford is an unincorporated village in the Catoctin Valley of Loudoun County, Virginia, located along Catoctin Creek. Waterford is 47 miles (76 km) northwest of Washington, D.C., and 7 miles (11 km) northwest of Leesburg. The entire village and surrounding countryside is a National Historic Landmark District, noted for its well-preserved 18th and 19th-century character.

Waterford was established around 1733 by Amos Janney, a Quaker from Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Janney purchased 400 acres (1.6 km2) on the south fork of Catoctin Creek and established a grist mill and saw mill in the area in the 1740s. Due to the success of the mills, the settlement became known as "Janney's Mill". The town grew quickly as a center of commerce for growers of grain. [5]

Amos Janney died in 1747, leaving his estate to his sixteen-year-old son, Mahlon. Mahlon replaced the original log mill with a two-story structure. The village continued to grow, and in 1780, 12 acres (49,000 m2) on the south side of Main Street were subdivided into 15 lots, upon which shops and homes were built. By the 1790s, the village was known as Waterford, named after the city of Waterford, in Ireland, where some of its founders had once lived before immigrating to the United States. New residents continued to come from Pennsylvania, as Quakers were followed by Presbyterians, Lutherans, Baptists, and Methodists. Waterford was also populated by African-Americans, both free and enslaved.[6]

Choose the Right Esthetics School near Waterford VA

Selecting and enrolling in the right esthetician college is essential to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the college and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, 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 self-assured that you are prepared to start your career as a professional esthetician in Waterford VA.