How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Arlington WA

How to Choose an Esthetician School near Arlington Washington

Arlington WA esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Arlington WA, the process starts to locate and enroll in the best program. It’s essential that the school you choose not only provides the proper training for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be somewhat unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a bit further about that in the following section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Arlington residence. Tuition will also be an important aspect when assessing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not always the ideal option. There are a number of other factors that you should weigh when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are available.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Arlington WA Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states mandate that you take some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Arlington WA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a client base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional names 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 previously stated, in the majority of states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees and Certificates

Arlington WA esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two options available 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 usually call for 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you wish 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 parlor or other Arlington WA business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you opt for, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s certified by the Washington Board of Cosmetology. Many states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the next segment.

Online Esthetician Courses

woman attending esthetician school online in Arlington WA Online esthetician classes are accommodating for Arlington WA students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to enroll in 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 frequently fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not spending numerous hours away from your home or commuting to and from classes. However, it’s imperative that the school you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Degree Programs

Arlington WA models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a list of questions that you need to look into for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Arlington home, as well as the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn 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 preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have put together some of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the esthetician school you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 98223 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Arlington WA employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Arlington WA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. Finally, contact the Washington school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you decide on a school that specializes in 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 dream is to start a Arlington WA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician skills and techniques involves lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program provides little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. So search for other schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s essential that he or she receives assistance in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide aid develop relationships with Arlington WA businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and identify 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 too. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an alternative before you learn what financial aid may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Arlington WA?

Perhaps you live in the Arlington Washington 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.

Arlington, Washington

Arlington is a city in northern Snohomish County, Washington, United States, part of the Seattle metropolitan area. The city lies on the Stillaguamish River in the western foothills of the Cascade Range, adjacent to the city of Marysville. It is approximately 10 miles (16 km) north of Everett, the county seat, and 40 miles (64 km) north of Seattle, the region's largest city. As of the 2010 U.S. census, Arlington has a population of 17,926.

Arlington was established in the 1880s by settlers and the area was platted as two towns, Arlington and Haller City. Haller City was absorbed by the larger Arlington, which was incorporated as a city in 1903. During the Great Depression of the 1930s, the Arlington area was the site of major projects undertaken for employment under the direction of federal relief agencies, including construction of a municipal airport that would serve as a naval air station during World War II. Beginning in the 1980s, Arlington was affected by suburbanization due to the expansion of Seattle, growing by more than 450 percent by 2000 and annexing the unincorporated area of Smokey Point to the southwest.

The economy of the Arlington area historically relied on timber and agriculture. In the early 21st century, it has transitioned to a service economy, with some aviation industry jobs near the municipal airport. The city is governed by a mayor–council government, electing a mayor and seven city councilmembers. The municipal government maintains the city's parks system and water and wastewater utilities. Other services, including public utilities, public transportation, and schools, are contracted to regional or county-level agencies and companies.

Pick the Right Esthetics School near Arlington WA

Finding and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is important to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Make certain to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the school and program you select 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 reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Arlington WA.