How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Auburn WA

How to Pick an Esthetics School near Auburn Washington

Auburn WA esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Auburn WA, the task starts to locate and enroll in the right program. It’s important that the school you pick not only furnishes the proper instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be somewhat puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll speak a bit further concerning that in the next section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Auburn home. Tuition will additionally be an important aspect when evaluating potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not always the ideal choice. There are several other considerations that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as 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 discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are available.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Auburn WA Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more attractive with the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you take some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Auburn WA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many names and are employed in a wide variety of specializations including:

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

As earlier mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees and Certificates

Auburn WA esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two pathways offered to get esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally take 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree ordinarily takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you wish to focus on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Auburn WA business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you decide on, it’s essential to make certain that it’s approved by the Washington Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next section.

Online Esthetics Programs

woman attending esthetician school online in Auburn WA Online esthetician programs are advantageous for Auburn WA students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs offered that can be attended via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools are typically fast paced since many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not devoting many hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it’s essential that the program you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Trade Schools

Auburn WA models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Auburn residence, in addition to the expense of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have put together some 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 school you enroll in 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 guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 98001 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Auburn WA employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding 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, attesting that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Auburn WA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And finally, contact the Washington school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically 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 intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your aspiration is to start a Auburn WA beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.

Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program provides limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for other schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s imperative that he or she gets aid in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish help develop relationships with Auburn WA businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Most esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and identify 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 accessible 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 determine what financial aid may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Auburn WA?

Perhaps you live in the Auburn 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.

Auburn, Washington

Auburn is a city in King County, with a small portion in Pierce County, Washington, United States. The population was 70,180 at the 2010 United States Census.[6] Auburn is a suburb in the Seattle metropolitan area, currently ranked the fifteenth largest city in the state of Washington.

Auburn is bordered by the cities of Federal Way, Pacific, and Algona to the west, Sumner to the south, Kent to the north, and unincorporated King County to the east. The Muckleshoot Indian Reservation is in or near the southern city limits.[7]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 29.89 square miles (77.41 km2), of which, 29.62 square miles (76.72 km2) is land and 0.27 square miles (0.70 km2) is water.[1]

Pick the Right Esthetician Vocational School near Auburn WA

Selecting and enrolling in the right esthetician school is essential to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to consolidate all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the institution and program you select are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you begin 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 ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are ready to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Auburn WA.