How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Morgantown WV

How to Enroll In an Esthetics School near Morgantown West Virginia

Morgantown WV esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Morgantown WV, the process starts to locate and enroll in the best program. It’s essential that the program you choose not only furnishes the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you may be rather puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a little bit further about that in the following segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Morgantown home. Tuition will also be an important consideration when reviewing prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the ideal option. There are various other considerations that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are available.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Morgantown WV Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more attractive with the use 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 may be almost anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you go through some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Morgantown WV beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a customer base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many professional names and work in a wide range of specializations including:

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

As earlier mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetics Certificates and Degrees

Morgantown WV esthetician client with face mask There are basically two options available to obtain esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically require 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. Shorter programs are offered if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Morgantown WV business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you go with, it’s essential to make certain that it’s recognized by the West Virginia Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next section.

Online Esthetics Programs

woman attending esthetician school online in Morgantown WV Online esthetician schools are advantageous for Morgantown WV students who are employed full-time and have family commitments that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous online beauty school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are frequently fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours away from your home or driving to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the training program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Degree Programs

Morgantown WV models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you need to research for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Morgantown home, in addition to the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced 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 compiled several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the esthetician school 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 26501 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Morgantown WV businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. 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, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Morgantown WV salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. Finally, check with the West Virginia school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific 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 decide on 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 aspiration is to launch a Morgantown WV beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and mastering esthetician skills and techniques involves lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty school furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s essential that he or she receives assistance in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer help maintain relationships with Morgantown WV businesses that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Many esthetician schools provide 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 learn what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students too. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not drop it as an option until you determine what financial help may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Morgantown WV?

Perhaps you live in the Morgantown 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.

Morgantown, West Virginia

Morgantown is a city in and the county seat of Monongalia County, West Virginia, situated along the banks of the Monongahela River. It is known as the home of West Virginia University and the Morgantown Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) system. With a permanent population of 31,073 per the 2015 U.S. Census estimates, Morgantown is the largest city in North-Central West Virginia. The Morgantown metropolitan area has a population of 138,176.

Morgantown is closely tied to the Anglo-French struggle for this territory. Until the Treaty of Paris in 1763, what is now known as Morgantown was greatly contested by settlers and Native Americans, and by the British and the French. The treaty decided the issue in favor of the British, but Indian fighting continued almost to the beginning of the American Revolution.

Zackquill Morgan, son of Morgan Morgan, and his brother David entered the area of Virginia that would become Morgantown in about 1767, although others such as Thomas Decker are recorded as attempting settlements in the area earlier or at about the same time. As well, several forts were built in the area during this time: Fort Pierpont near the Cheat River, in 1769; Fort Coburn, near Dorsey's Knob, in 1770. Fort Morgan, at the present site of Morgantown, in 1772; Fort Dinwiddie, north several miles at Stewartstown, in 1772; Fort Martin, several miles north on the Monongahela River, in 1773; Fort Burris in the present-day Suncrest area of Morgantown, in 1774; and Fort Kern in the present-day Greenmont area of Morgantown, in 1774, in addition to other, smaller forts.

Enroll in the Right Esthetician School near Morgantown WV

Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician college is important to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the institution and program you select are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are qualified to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Morgantown WV.