How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Ellensburg WA

How to Choose an Esthetics College near Ellensburg Washington

Ellensburg WA esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Ellensburg WA, the task begins to locate and enroll in the right program. It’s important that the program you pick not only furnishes the appropriate education for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you might be a little bit confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a bit further about that in the next segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Ellensburg home. Tuition will also be a critical consideration when assessing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not always the right option. There are a number of other factors that you should weigh when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are offered.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Ellensburg WA Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic can be anything that improves the look 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 be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Ellensburg WA 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, open their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles and work in a wide variety of specialties 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 some states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, for example 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.

Esthetics Certificates and Degrees

Ellensburg WA esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two avenues available to obtain esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually call for 12 to 18 months to finish, 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 main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you want to specialize in just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Ellensburg WA business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you choose, it’s essential to make sure that it’s approved by the Washington Board of Cosmetology. Many states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming section.

Online Esthetician Courses

woman attending esthetician school online in Ellensburg WA Online esthetician programs are accommodating for Ellensburg WA students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based beauty school programs offered that can be attended by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced since 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 programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not devoting many hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it’s vital that the school you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Programs

Ellensburg WA models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a list of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Ellensburg residence, in addition to the expense of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the esthetician school you select 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 comply with their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in 98926 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Ellensburg WA employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Ellensburg WA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. Finally, contact the Washington school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed 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 facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you select 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 dream is to open a Ellensburg 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 rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and refining esthetician skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty academy provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for developing your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s important that he or she receives aid in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide aid develop relationships with Ellensburg WA businesses that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? Many esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students too. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not omit it as an alternative before you learn what financial help may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Ellensburg WA?

Perhaps you live in the Ellensburg 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.

Ellensburg, Washington

Ellensburg is a city in, and the county seat of, Kittitas County, Washington, United States. The population was 20,326 in a 2017 census estimate. Located just east of the Cascade Range on Interstate 90, Ellensburg is the most centrally located city in the state, and is the home of Central Washington University (CWU).

The surrounding Kittitas Valley is internationally known for the timothy hay that it produces. There are several local hay brokering and processing operations that ship to Pacific Rim countries. Downtown Ellensburg has many historic buildings, many of which were constructed in the late 19th century. This is a legacy of its bid to be the state capital, which it lost to Olympia.[5] CWU being placed there is another product of that legacy. The state legislature selected Ellensburg as the location for the then Normal School as a consolation prize.[6]

Ellensburg was officially incorporated on November 26, 1883. John Alden Shoudy came to the Kittitas Valley in 1871, and purchased a small trading post from Andrew Jackson "A.J." Splawn, called "Robber's Roost." Robber's Roost was the first business in the valley, other than the early trading that occurred among Native Americans, cattle drivers, trappers, and miners. Robber's Roost was located on the present-day 3rd Avenue, just west of Main Street near the alley. There is a placard on the wall commemorating the location, as well as a small stone monument against the wall on the sidewalk. Shoudy named the town after his wife, Mary Ellen Shoudy, thus officially began the city of Ellensburgh around 1872. Shoudy was not the first settler in the Kittitas Valley, nor was he the first businessperson, but he was responsible for platting the city of Ellensburgh in the 1870s, and he was the person who named the streets in the downtown district.

Find the Right Esthetician Vocational School near Ellensburg WA

Choosing and enrolling in the right esthetician school is important to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the school and program you choose are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are prepared to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Ellensburg WA.