How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Bunker Hill WV

How to Find the Right Esthetics College near Bunker Hill West Virginia

Bunker Hill WV esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Bunker Hill WV, the task begins to search for and enroll in the right program. It’s imperative that the program you choose not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may be a little bit confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a little bit more about that in the following section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Bunker Hill home. Tuition will also be an important consideration when reviewing potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the best option. There are various other considerations that you should weigh when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Bunker Hill WV Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be almost anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you undergo some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Bunker Hill WV beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients 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 range of specialties including:

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

As earlier mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees

Bunker Hill WV esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two avenues 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 take 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 main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you prefer to focus on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Bunker Hill WV business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you opt for, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s certified by the West Virginia Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the next segment.

Online Esthetician Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Bunker Hill WV Online esthetician schools are advantageous for Bunker Hill WV students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are frequently fast paced given that many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it’s vital that the training program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Trade Schools

Bunker Hill WV models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you need to look into for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Bunker Hill residence, in addition to the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final selection.

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 acknowledged local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 25413 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 Bunker Hill WV businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Bunker Hill WV salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. And last, consult the West Virginia school licensing authority to find out 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 expansive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you pick a school that focuses on 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 desire is to launch a Bunker Hill WV 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 weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. So look for other schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s imperative that she or he gets assistance in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help develop relationships with Bunker Hill WV employers that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are considering 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 verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and find out 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 available to students as well. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you determine what financial assistance may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Bunker Hill WV?

Perhaps you live in the Bunker Hill West Virginia 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.

Bunker Hill, West Virginia

Bunker Hill is an unincorporated community in Berkeley County, West Virginia, USA, located on Winchester Pike (U.S. Route 11) at its junction with County Route 26 south of Martinsburg. It is the site of the confluence of Torytown Run and Mill Creek, a tributary of Opequon Creek which flows into Winchester, Virginia. According to the 2000 census, the Bunker Hill community has a population of 5,319.[1]

At Bunker Hill in 1726, Colonel Morgan Morgan (1687-1766) founded the first permanent settlement of record in the part of Virginia that became West Virginia during the American Civil War, although that cabin was destroyed in the French and Indian War. Morgan kinfolk rebuilt the cabin before the American Revolutionary War, and Tory sympathizers killed Morgan's grandson James Morgan near the cabin on what became known as Torytown Creek about four miles outside the Bunker Hill town center, on Runnymeade Street (a/k/a County Route 26 west of town). That cabin (now a small state park) was restored as a Bicentennial project in 1976, using many of its original logs. Now a historically furnished museum, it also serves as headquarters of the Morgan Cabin Committee.

The state of West Virginia erected several monuments to Morgan nearby. Near the town center and a bridge over Mill Creek is Morgan Park, which has a large monument erected to honor the first settler in 1924, as well as two historic markers. Both Morgan and George Washington are also remembered at the Morgan Chapel and Graveyard less than 2 miles from the town center, en route to the Morgan cabin.

Choose the Right Esthetics Program near Bunker Hill WV

Locating and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is important to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Don’t forget to organize all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the institution and program you choose are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Bunker Hill WV.