How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Mill Valley CA

How to Choose an Esthetician Program near Mill Valley California

Mill Valley CA esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Mill Valley CA, the process starts to search for and enroll in the best program. It’s imperative that the program you choose not only provides the necessary instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be somewhat unclear 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 kind of school. We’ll discuss a bit further about that in the next section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Mill Valley home. Tuition will additionally be a critical aspect when evaluating possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest 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 review what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are thinking about 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.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Mill Valley CA Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human anatomy look more attractive with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic can 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 require that you take some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Mill Valley CA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many names and work in a wide variety of specialties including:

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

As earlier stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees and Certificates

Mill Valley CA esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two pathways available 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 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 each of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you prefer to focus on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also most likely incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Mill Valley CA business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you choose, it’s important to make sure that it’s recognized by the California Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the next section.

Online Esthetician Programs

woman attending esthetician school online in Mill Valley CA Online esthetician programs are advantageous for Mill Valley CA students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are often fast paced since many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you’re not spending numerous hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the school you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Schools

Mill Valley CA models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Mill Valley residence, in addition to the cost of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make certain that the esthetician training program you select 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 comply with their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 94941 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Mill Valley CA businesses will not employ 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 institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Mill Valley CA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And finally, consult the California 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? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular 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 select a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your ambition 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 open a Mill Valley CA beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and refining esthetician skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty program furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. So try to find alternate schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s important that he or she gets assistance in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide assistance develop relationships with Mill Valley CA businesses that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and identify 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 offered to students as well. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an option before you find out what financial aid may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Mill Valley CA?

Perhaps you live in the Mill Valley 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.

Mill Valley, California

Mill Valley is located on the western and northern shores of Richardson Bay, and the eastern slopes of Mount Tamalpais. Beyond the flat coastal area and marshlands, it occupies narrow wooded canyons, mostly of second-growth redwoods, on the southeastern slopes of Mount Tamalpais. The Mill Valley 94941 ZIP Code also includes the following adjacent unincorporated communities: Almonte, Alto, Homestead Valley, Tamalpais Valley, and Strawberry. The Muir Woods National Monument is also located just outside the city limits.

The first people known to inhabit Marin County, the Coast Miwok, arrived approximately 6,000 years ago. The territory of the Coast Miwok included all of Marin County, north to Bodega Bay and southern Sonoma County. More than 600 village sites have been identified, including 14 sites in the Mill Valley area. Nearby archaeological discoveries include the rock carvings and grinding sites on Ring Mountain.[9] The pre-Missionization population of the Coast Miwok is estimated to be between 1,500 (Alfred L. Kroeber's estimate for the year 1770 A.D.)[10] to 2,000 (Sherburne F. Cook's estimate for the same year[11]). The pre-Missionization population of the Coast Miwok may have been as high as 5000. Cook speculated that by 1848 their population had decreased to 300, and down to 60 by 1880. As of 2011 there are over 1,000 registered members of the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria which includes both the Coast Miwok and the Southern Pomo, all of whom can date their ancestry back to the 14 survivors original tribal ancestors.[12][13]

In Mill Valley, on Locust Avenue between Sycamore and Walnut Avenues, there is now a metal plaque set in the sidewalk in the area believed to be the birthplace of Chief Marin in 1871; the plaque was dedicated on 8 May 2009.[14] The village site was first identified by Nels Nelson in 1907 and his excavation revealed tools, burials and food debris just beyond the driveway of 44 Locust Ave. At that time, the mound was 20 feet (6.1 m) high. Another famous Mill Valley site was in the Manzanita area underneath the Fireside Inn (previously known as the Manzanita Roadhouse, Manzanita Hotel, Emil Plasberg's Top Rail, and Top Rail Tavern, most of which were notorious Prohibition-era gin joints and brothels) located near the intersection of U.S. Route 101 and California State Route 1. Built in 1916, the "blind pig" roadhouse was outside the dry limits of the city itself. Shell mounds have been discovered in areas by streams and along Richardson Bay, including in the Strawberry and Almonte neighborhoods.

Pick the Right Esthetician College near Mill Valley CA

Choosing and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is important to receive 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. Don’t forget to consolidate all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the academy and program you pick are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you begin 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 selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are ready to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Mill Valley CA.