How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Mercer Island WA

How to Choose an Esthetics Training Program near Mercer Island Washington

Mercer Island WA esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Mercer Island WA, the task begins to search for and enroll in the ideal program. It’s important that the program you choose not only furnishes the necessary education for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you may be a little bit puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a bit further regarding that in the upcoming segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Mercer Island home. Tuition will likewise be a critical factor when reviewing potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the ideal choice. There are many other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are available.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Mercer Island WA Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more attractive with the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be almost anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you go through some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Mercer Island WA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a client base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many professional names 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 formerly stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetics Certificates and Degrees

Mercer Island WA esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two pathways offered to obtain esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally take 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you want to concentrate on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Mercer Island WA business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you go with, it’s important to make certain that it’s recognized by the Washington Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the next segment.

Online Esthetics Training

woman attending esthetician school online in Mercer Island WA Online esthetician classes are advantageous for Mercer Island WA students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced due to the fact that 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 volume of material, but you’re not spending numerous hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it’s important that the school you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Degree Programs

Mercer Island WA models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you will want to look into for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Mercer Island home, as well as the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want 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 preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have compiled some of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the esthetician training program you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 98040 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Mercer Island WA employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. 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 regarded. Check rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Mercer Island WA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. Finally, contact the Washington school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you enroll in 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 respected for that program. If your desire is to open a Mercer Island WA 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 seeking will not provide the training you require.

Is Any Live Training Provided? Practicing and refining esthetician skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty academy offers little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore look for other schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s imperative that he or she gets support in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide assistance develop relationships with Mercer Island WA employers that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Almost all 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. Talk to a counselor and learn 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 offered to students also. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an option before you find out what financial help may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Mercer Island WA?

Perhaps you live in the Mercer Island 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.

Mercer Island, Washington

Mercer Island is a city in King County, Washington, United States, located on an island of the same name in the southern portion of Lake Washington. Mercer Island is in the Seattle Metropolitan Area,[5] with Seattle located to its west and Bellevue located to its east.

Mercer Island is connected to the mainland on both sides by bridges carrying Interstate 90. The Lacey V. Murrow Memorial Bridge and the parallel Homer M. Hadley Memorial Bridge are floating bridges that span Lake Washington and carry, respectively, eastbound and westbound lanes of Interstate 90 and connect Mercer Island to the northern portion of Seattle's South End (more specifically, I-90 has Leschi to the north and Mount Baker to the south). I-90 traverses the northern portion of Mercer Island and is then carried from the island to Bellevue over the East Channel of Lake Washington by the East Channel Bridge. Mercer Island is located closer to Bellevue than it is to Seattle, and is therefore often considered to be part of the King County's Eastside.

The population was 25,261 in a 2017 census estimate. Mercer Island is the most populated island in a lake within the United States.[6][better source needed] The ZIP code 98040 is unique to Mercer Island.[7] Mercer Island has the fifth highest per-capita income in the state of Washington and is one of the 100 richest ZIP codes in the USA according to the IRS figures for Adjusted Gross Income.[8]

Choose the Right Esthetics Training Program near Mercer Island WA

Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is essential to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Don’t forget to compile all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you pick are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are ready to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Mercer Island WA.