How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Ripley WV

How to Find the Right Esthetician School near Ripley West Virginia

Ripley WV esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Ripley WV, the task begins to locate and enroll in the right program. It’s imperative that the program you select not only furnishes the necessary instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin 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 names are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll talk a bit more concerning that in the following segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Ripley home. Tuition will likewise be a critical aspect when assessing potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the ideal choice. There are many other qualifications that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are available.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Ripley WV Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more attractive through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but basically 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, most states mandate that you take some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Ripley WV beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a customer base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own residences or will travel 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 formerly mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees

Ripley WV esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two pathways offered to receive 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 normally take 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you wish to focus on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Ripley WV business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you choose, it’s essential to make certain that it’s recognized by the West Virginia Board of Cosmetology. Many states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the next segment.

Online Esthetics Programs

woman attending esthetician school online in Ripley WV Online esthetician classes are accommodating for Ripley WV students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs available that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are typically fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting many hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the program you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Training Courses

Ripley WV models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you will want to look into for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Ripley home, in addition to the expense of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly 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 take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled several of those additional 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 school you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in 25271 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Ripley WV employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Ripley WV salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. 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 total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you enroll in a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your intention 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 vision is to start a Ripley WV beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.

Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty academy offers limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for developing your skills. So search for alternate schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s important that he or she gets aid in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer assistance maintain relationships with Ripley WV employers that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, 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 Available? Almost all esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and identify 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 available to students also. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not omit it as an option before you learn what financial aid may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Ripley WV?

Perhaps you live in the Ripley 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.

Ripley, West Virginia

Ripley was originally owned and settled by William, John, and Lewis Rodgers. They received a grant of 400 acres (1.6 km2) in 1768 where "Sycamore Creek joins Big Mill Creek" (the current site of Ripley). The land was later sold to Jacob (and Ann) Starcher, most probably in 1803. Jacob Starcher erected a grist mill in 1824 and laid out the town in 1830, naming it in honor of Harry Ripley, a young minister who was to be married, but drowned in Big Mill Creek, about one and a half miles north of the town, shortly before the ceremony took place.[7][8]

When Jackson County was formed in 1831, the residents of the county could not decide where to locate the county seat. The people who lived along the Ohio River near the Ravenswood settlement favored that location. The people who lived farther inland objected. The Virginia General Assembly appointed an independent commission to make the final decision which selected Ripley. In 1832, the Starchers donated 8 acres (32,000 m2) of land to the county, 2 acres (8,100 m2) for the location of the county courthouse and jail, and six for the general use of the new county (a public school and a cemetery were later located on the land). The town was chartered by the Virginia General Assembly in 1832.[7][8]

The last public hanging in West Virginia took place in Ripley in 1897, when John Morgan was hanged for murder; the spectacle prompted the West Virginia Legislature to ban public executions soon after.[10][11]

Enroll in the Right Esthetics School near Ripley WV

Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician program is imperative to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to compile all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the academy and program you select are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Ripley WV.