How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Rice Lake WI

How to Pick an Esthetics College near Rice Lake Wisconsin

Rice Lake WI esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Rice Lake WI, the process begins to locate and enroll in the ideal program. It’s essential that the school you choose not only furnishes the necessary education for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be somewhat confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll talk a bit further about that in the upcoming segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Rice Lake residence. Tuition will likewise be an important aspect when evaluating prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the ideal choice. There are a number of other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are available.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Rice Lake WI Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be almost anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you go through some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Rice Lake WI beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional names 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 previously mentioned, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees

Rice Lake WI esthetician client with face mask There are basically two pathways offered to get esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally call for 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 instructed in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you wish to focus on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Rice Lake WI business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you go with, it’s important to make sure that it’s approved by the Wisconsin Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the next segment.

Online Esthetician Training

woman attending esthetician school online in Rice Lake WI Online esthetician schools are accommodating for Rice Lake WI students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs offered that can be attended via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are often fast paced since many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not spending numerous hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it’s vital that the school you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Training Courses

Rice Lake WI models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Rice Lake home, in addition to the cost of tuition, will probably be your first 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 choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s important 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 meet their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 54868 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Rice Lake WI employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Rice Lake WI salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. Finally, consult the Wisconsin school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you enroll in a school that focuses on 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 respected for that program. If your vision is to open a Rice Lake 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 provide the training you require.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and refining esthetician skills and techniques involves lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty program offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. So look for other schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s essential that he or she gets aid in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer aid maintain relationships with Rice Lake WI employers that are seeking trained 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. Additionally, 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 Available? Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and identify 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 as well. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an option before you determine what financial aid may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Rice Lake WI?

Perhaps you live in the Rice Lake 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.

Rice Lake, Wisconsin

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 9.70 square miles (25.12 km2), of which, 8.60 square miles (22.27 km2) is land and 1.10 square miles (2.85 km2) is water.[1]

As of 2000 the median income for a household in the city was $34,637, and the median income for a family was $53,056. Males had a median income of $40,450 versus $30,211 for females. The per capita income for the city was $22,354. About 6.9% of families and 13.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.4% of those under age 18 and 13.1% of those age 65 or over.

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 8,438 people, 3,936 households, and 2,065 families residing in the city. The population density was 981.2 inhabitants per square mile (378.8/km2). There were 4,239 housing units at an average density of 492.9 per square mile (190.3/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 96.2% White, 0.3% African American, 0.9% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 0.5% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.4% of the population.

Find the Right Esthetician School near Rice Lake WI

Locating and enrolling in the right esthetician program is essential to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to compile all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the academy and program you select are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Rice Lake WI.