How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Madison WV

How to Pick an Esthetics College near Madison West Virginia

Madison WV esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Madison WV, the process starts to locate and enroll in the best program. It’s important that the school you pick not only furnishes the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you may be a little bit unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a bit further about that in the following segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Madison home. Tuition will likewise be a critical aspect when evaluating potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not always the right choice. There are various other qualifications that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are available.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Madison WV Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you undergo some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Madison WV beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a client base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s residence, 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 formerly mentioned, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetics Certificates and Degrees

Madison WV esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two pathways available to receive esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically require 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you wish to specialize in just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Madison WV 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 program you go with, it’s essential to make sure that it’s approved by the West Virginia Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming segment.

Online Esthetics Training

woman attending esthetician school online in Madison WV Online esthetician programs are advantageous for Madison WV students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs offered that can be attended through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are frequently fast paced because many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you’re not spending many hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it’s imperative that the school you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Degree Programs

Madison WV models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Madison residence, in addition to the expense of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish 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 even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the esthetician training program you pick 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 assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in 25130 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Madison WV employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Madison WV salon owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And finally, contact the West Virginia school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often 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 sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your desire is to open a Madison WV beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing 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? Learning and refining esthetician skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty school offers limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for developing your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s crucial that he or she receives assistance in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with Madison WV businesses that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Most esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Consult with 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 accessible to students as well. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not omit it as an alternative until you find out what financial aid may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Madison WV?

Perhaps you live in the Madison 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.

Madison, West Virginia

Madison was first established as Boone Court House. The town was renamed about 1865, presumably for James Madison, the fourth president of the United States. Other theories hold that it was named for lawyer James Madison Laidley or for Madison Peyton, a pioneer coal operator, who was a leader in the movement which resulted in the formation of Boone County and for whom Peytona on Big Coal River was also named. Madison was incorporated in 1906.[7]

The first courthouse at Madison, a log structure, was burned by Union troops early in the American Civil War. The second courthouse, made of local brick, served until 1913, and a frame building was used by county officials for the next several years. The present Boone County Courthouse, occupied in 1921, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[8]

Madison is the "Gateway to the Coalfields," as it is located on a principal route through the southern coalfields. It occupied a strategic place during the Mine Wars. Miners twice rallied at the town ballpark in August 1921, to consider whether to continue their march to neighboring Logan and Mingo counties. Thousands of armed marchers passed through the town and surrounding region on their way to and from the fighting at Blair Mountain, which is located up Spruce Fork from Madison.[7]

Enroll in the Right Esthetics Training Program near Madison WV

Selecting and enrolling in the right esthetician program is imperative to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are prepared to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Madison WV.