How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Eau Claire WI

How to Choose an Esthetics Program near Eau Claire Wisconsin

Eau Claire WI esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Eau Claire WI, the process begins to locate and enroll in the right program. It’s imperative that the program you select not only provides the necessary education for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you might be somewhat puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a bit more regarding that in the next section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Eau Claire residence. Tuition will additionally be a critical consideration when assessing possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the ideal choice. There are several other qualifications that you should weigh when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Eau Claire WI Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more attractive with the application of cosmetics. So naturally 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 appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you go through some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Eau Claire WI beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s house, 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 already mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists have to 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 working in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

Eau Claire WI esthetician client with face mask There are basically two avenues offered to get esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically take 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 main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Eau Claire WI business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you go with, it’s essential to make sure that it’s certified by the Wisconsin Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next section.

Online Esthetics Training

woman attending esthetician school online in Eau Claire WI Online esthetician programs are accommodating for Eau Claire WI students who are working full-time and have family commitments that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are frequently fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the school you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Training Courses

Eau Claire WI models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you should investigate for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Eau Claire 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 probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected some of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the esthetician college you select 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 54701 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Eau Claire WI employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Eau Claire WI salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. Finally, consult the Wisconsin school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you enroll in a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your goal is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your aspiration is to start a Eau Claire WI beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty program offers little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for other schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s important that she or he gets aid in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide aid maintain relationships with Eau Claire WI businesses that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Almost all esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students also. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you learn what financial assistance may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Eau Claire WI?

Perhaps you live in the Eau Claire Wisconsin 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.

Eau Claire, Wisconsin

Eau Claire (/oʊˈklɛər/) is a city in Chippewa and Eau Claire counties in the west-central part of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located almost entirely in Eau Claire County, for which it is the county seat,[8] the city had a population of 65,883 at the 2010 census,[9] making it the state's ninth-largest city. Eau Claire is the principal city of the Eau Claire, Wisconsin Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is a part of the Eau Claire-Menomonie Combined Statistical Area.

Eau Claire took its name from Eau Claire County.[10] "Eau Claire" is the singular form of the original French name, "Eaux Claires", meaning "Clear Waters", for the Eau Claire River. According to local legend, the river was so named because early French explorers journeying down the rain-muddied Chippewa River, happened upon the Eau Claire River, excitedly exclaiming "Voici l'eau claire!" ("Here is the clear water!"), the city motto, which appears on the city seal.

Eau Claire is located at 44°49′N 91°30′W / 44.817°N 91.500°W / 44.817; -91.500, (44.8146, −91.4927)[11] approximately 90 miles (145 kilometers) east of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota. The city is located on the northern fringes of the Driftless Zone.

Enroll in the Right Esthetician Vocational School near Eau Claire WI

Choosing and enrolling in the right esthetician school is essential to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Don’t forget to collect all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are ready to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Eau Claire WI.