How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Los Gatos CA

How to Select an Esthetics School near Los Gatos California

Los Gatos CA esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Los Gatos CA, the task starts to locate and enroll in the best program. It’s imperative that the school you pick not only furnishes the appropriate education for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be somewhat unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll talk a little bit further regarding that in the following segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Los Gatos residence. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when assessing potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the right choice. There are various other qualifications that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are available.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Los Gatos CA Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more attractive with the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic can be almost anything that enhances 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 undergo some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Los Gatos CA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a clientele, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles and are employed in a wide variety of specializations including:

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

As earlier stated, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees

Los Gatos CA esthetician client with face mask There are basically two avenues available to receive esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically 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 each of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you prefer to specialize in just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also most likely incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Los Gatos CA business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you go with, it’s important to make sure that it’s certified by the California Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the next section.

Online Esthetician Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Los Gatos CA Online esthetician programs are convenient for Los Gatos CA students who are working full-time and have family commitments that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs offered that can be attended by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are typically fast paced given that many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a considerable 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 commuting back and forth from classes. However, it’s imperative that the program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Schools

Los Gatos CA models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Los Gatos residence, in addition to the cost of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled some of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the esthetician training program you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in 95030 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Los Gatos CA businesses 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? Every 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 endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Los Gatos CA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. Finally, consult the California school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing 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 imperative that you enroll in a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your objective 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 vision is to launch a Los Gatos CA beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician skills and techniques involves plenty 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 campus that allow students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. So look for other schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s imperative that he or she receives help in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance develop relationships with Los Gatos CA employers that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm 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 investigating have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students also. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you determine what financial aid may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Los Gatos CA?

Perhaps you live in the Los Gatos California 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.

Los Gatos, California

Los Gatos (US: /loʊs ˈɡɑːtoʊs, lɔːs-/;[8][9] Spanish for "The Cats") is an incorporated town in Santa Clara County, California, United States. The population is 30,391 according to the 2013 United States Census Bureau.[10] According to Bloomberg Businessweek, Los Gatos is ranked the 33rd wealthiest city in the United States.[11] It is located in the San Francisco Bay Area at the southwest corner of San Jose in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Los Gatos is part of Silicon Valley, with several high technology companies maintaining a presence there. Most notably, streaming and content creator, Netflix is headquartered in Los Gatos and has developed a large presence in the area.

Los Gatos is Spanish for "the cats."[12] The name derives from the 1839 Alta California land-grant that encompassed the area, which was called La Rinconada de Los Gatos, ("Cat's Corner"), where "the cats" refers to the cougars and bobcats that are indigenous to the foothills in which the town is located. The name has been anglicized to /lɔːs ˈɡætəs/ lawss-GAT-əs,[13] although one also hears pronunciations truer to the original Spanish, /loʊsˈɡɑːtoʊs/ lohss-GAH-tohss[citation needed].

The town's founding dates to the mid-1850s with the building of a flour operation, Forbes Mill, by James Alexander Forbes along Los Gatos Creek. The mill's two-story stone storage annex has been preserved as a museum just off of Main Street.

Pick the Right Esthetics School near Los Gatos CA

Finding and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is important to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to collect all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the college and program you pick are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Los Gatos CA.