How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Oak Harbor WA

How to Choose an Esthetics School near Oak Harbor Washington

Oak Harbor 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 Oak Harbor WA, the task starts to find and enroll in the best program. It’s essential that the school you choose not only furnishes the proper instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you may be somewhat unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a bit more about that in the upcoming segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Oak Harbor home. Tuition will likewise be an important consideration when reviewing prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not always the right choice. There are a number of other factors that you should weigh when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are available.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Oak Harbor WA Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more attractive through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic can be almost anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you undergo some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Oak Harbor WA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a customer base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many names and are employed in a wide range of specialties including:

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

As already stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees

Oak Harbor WA esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two pathways offered to receive 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 typically call for 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 each 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 probably include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Oak Harbor WA business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you opt for, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s recognized by the Washington Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next section.

Online Esthetics Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Oak Harbor WA Online esthetician programs are accommodating for Oak Harbor WA students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs available that can be attended through a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are frequently fast paced because many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting numerous hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the school you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Training Programs

Oak Harbor WA models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a list of questions that you need to look into for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Oak Harbor residence, together with the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue 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 initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the esthetician school you pick 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 98277 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Oak Harbor WA employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Oak Harbor WA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. Finally, check with the Washington school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating 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 typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you select a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your objective 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 vision is to launch a Oak Harbor WA beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty school offers limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on using mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s essential that he or she gets help in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with Oak Harbor WA businesses that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of esthetician schools offer 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 learn what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students too. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not discard it as an alternative until you find out what financial help may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Oak Harbor WA?

Perhaps you live in the Oak Harbor 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.

Oak Harbor, Washington

Oak Harbor is Whidbey Island's largest incorporated city; it is named for the Garry Oak trees which grace its skyline. The city's growth coincided with two major events: the building of Deception Pass Bridge on July 31, 1935, and the completion of Naval Air Station Whidbey Island on September 21, 1942. Oak Harbor's history goes back to the early 1850s, when two settlers staked claims where the city now stands—Zakarias Toftezen, a shoemaker from Norway; C.W. Sumner from New England.[5]

Houses and businesses sprouted up along the shores of Oak Harbor as the pioneers relied entirely on water transportation until the 1900s. For the next 30 years, steamers and freighters carried passengers and freight from the Island to the mainland and back as well as Fidalgo Island to the north.

The Irish came in the late 1850s, making Oak Harbor grow and prosper as they fished and farmed the area, and the city's Dutch heritage arrived in the 1890s. Churches, schools, and more businesses followed the arrival of the Dutch. A high school was built in 1906. Oak Harbor flourished as a small country town until Deception Pass Bridge and the U.S. Navy Base connected the city to the rest of the region and the world.

Enroll in the Right Esthetician School near Oak Harbor WA

Selecting and enrolling in the right esthetician school is imperative to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to organize all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the school and program you choose are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are ready to start your career as a professional esthetician in Oak Harbor WA.