How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Silverdale WA

How to Enroll In an Esthetician Program near Silverdale Washington

Silverdale WA esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Silverdale WA, the task starts to find and enroll in the ideal program. It’s important that the school you choose not only provides the appropriate training for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may be a little bit puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a little bit further regarding that in the upcoming section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Silverdale home. Tuition will also be an important consideration when evaluating possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not always the best choice. There are several other factors that you should weigh when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning 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 kinds of courses are available.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Silverdale WA Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic can be almost anything that improves 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 you are licensed, the work settings include not only Silverdale WA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a clientele, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by 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 already mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees and Certificates

Silverdale WA esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two options offered to obtain 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 generally call for 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 each of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you want to specialize in just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also most likely incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Silverdale WA business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you choose, it’s essential to make sure that it’s certified by the Washington Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the following segment.

Online Esthetician Training

woman attending esthetician school online in Silverdale WA Online esthetician schools are advantageous for Silverdale WA students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are many web-based beauty school programs offered that can be attended through a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are typically 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 courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not spending many hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the training program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Schools

Silverdale WA models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you will want to look into for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Silverdale residence, as well as the expense of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary 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 agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 98315 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Silverdale 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 Good Reputation? Any esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Silverdale WA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the business, 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 looked into. And last, consult the Washington school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of 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 commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you choose a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your ambition 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 dream is to open a Silverdale WA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Enough Live Training Provided? Studying and refining esthetician skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program offers limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the best option for acquiring your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s crucial that he or she gets aid in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help develop relationships with Silverdale WA businesses that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? Almost all esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and identify 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 offered to students as well. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an option before you find out what financial aid may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Silverdale WA?

Perhaps you live in the Silverdale 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.

Silverdale, Washington

Silverdale is a census-designated place (CDP) in Kitsap County, Washington, in the United States. The population was 19,204 at the 2010 census. Despite many attempts at incorporation, Silverdale remains an unincorporated community.[citation needed]

Silverdale is on the Kitsap Peninsula, situated ten miles northwest of the city of Bremerton and nine miles south of Poulsbo. Silverdale lies at the north tip of Dyes Inlet, which connects it to Bremerton via Sinclair Inlet and the Pacific Ocean via Puget Sound.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP of Silverdale has a total area of 7.9 square miles (20.4 km²), of which 6.9 square miles (18.0 km²) is land and 0.9 square miles (2.4 km²) is water.

Find the Right Esthetician Vocational School near Silverdale WA

Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is important to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A sensible 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 field. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when 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 Silverdale WA.