How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Olympia WA

How to Pick an Esthetics Program near Olympia Washington

Olympia WA esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Olympia WA, the task starts to find and enroll in the ideal program. It’s essential that the school you pick not only provides the appropriate education for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be rather confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a little bit further regarding that in the following section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Olympia residence. Tuition will additionally be a critical aspect when assessing prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the best option. There are many other considerations that you should weigh when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding 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 types of courses are available.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Olympia WA Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more attractive through the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you take some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Olympia WA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles and work in a wide variety of specializations including:

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

As already mentioned, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those offering 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 Certificates and Degrees

Olympia WA esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two pathways available to receive 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 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 trained in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you want to concentrate on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Olympia WA business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you decide on, it’s essential to make certain that it’s approved by the Washington Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming section.

Online Esthetician Programs

woman attending esthetician school online in Olympia WA Online esthetician schools are convenient for Olympia WA students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online beauty school programs available that can be attended through a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are often fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not spending many hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the training program you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Programs

Olympia WA models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you should look into for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Olympia home, together with the cost of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn 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 consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have collected some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the esthetician college 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 measure up to their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 98501 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Olympia WA businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every esthetician institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Olympia WA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. And last, consult the Washington school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you choose a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your goal 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 Olympia WA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.

Is Enough Live Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty school offers little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. So look for alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s essential that he or she gets help in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid develop relationships with Olympia WA businesses that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Almost all esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Consult 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 accessible to students also. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not omit it as an alternative before you learn what financial aid may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Olympia WA?

Perhaps you live in the Olympia 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.

Olympia, Washington

Olympia is the capital of the U.S. state of Washington and the county seat of Thurston County.[6] European settlers claimed the area in 1846, with the Treaty of Medicine Creek initiated in 1854, and the Treaty of Olympia initiated in January 1856.[7] Similar treaties had taken shape across the emerging United States as a tool of European colonization: these documents facilitated often coerced cession of land, originally belonging to indigenous peoples and tribes, to European settlers.

Olympia was incorporated as a town on January 28, 1859, and as a City in 1882.[8] The population was 46,479 as of the 2010 census, making it the 24th largest city in the state. The city borders Lacey to the east and Tumwater to the south. Olympia is a cultural center of the southern Puget Sound region. Olympia is located 60 miles (100 km) southwest of Seattle, the largest city in the state of Washington.

The site of Olympia has been home to Lushootseed-speaking peoples for thousands of years, including Squaxin, Nisqually, Puyallup, Chehalis, Suquamish, and Duwamish. These indigenous peoples were forcefully and often violently displaced from their territories upon the arrival of European settlers. Settler colonialism in the United States is considered by many to be a form of genocide committed against indigenous peoples. Unfortunately, there is a lack of neutral resources which inform understandings of Washington's pre-European history. Indeed, it is important to acknowledge that most of the information available about Olympia and the surrounding areas was created by European settlers, and thus offers an incomplete representation of history in which Native American perspectives are largely disregarded. Even modern accounts of Olympia's foundation[9] ignore the painful nature of its history of colonialism.

Find the Right Esthetics Program near Olympia WA

Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is important to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Don’t forget to organize all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you select are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to narrow down 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 qualified to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Olympia WA.