How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Palo Alto CA

How to Pick an Esthetics Program near Palo Alto California

Palo Alto CA esthetician client with cucumber facialOnce you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Palo Alto CA, the process starts to search for and enroll in the best program. It’s important that the program you select not only provides the proper instruction 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 rather confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll speak a bit more about that in the following section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Palo Alto residence. Tuition will likewise be an important consideration when reviewing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not always the ideal choice. There are several other factors that you should weigh when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Palo Alto CACosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you take some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Palo Alto CA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a clientele, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own residences or will go to the client’s home, 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 formerly stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees

Palo Alto CA esthetician client with face maskThere are basically two avenues offered to receive esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally 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 trained in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you wish to concentrate on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Palo Alto CA business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you decide on, it’s essential to make sure that it’s approved by the California Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve 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 select in the upcoming segment.

Online Esthetician Training

woman attending esthetician school online in Palo Alto CAOnline esthetician programs are advantageous for Palo Alto CA students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be attended by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are typically fast paced given that many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you’re not spending many hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the training program you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Training Courses

Palo Alto CA models benefit from esthetic treatmentsFollowing is a list of questions that you will want to look into for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Palo Alto residence, as well as the price of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed 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 school. Following we have put together several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the esthetician college you enroll in 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 94301 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Palo Alto CA businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation?  Each esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Palo Alto CA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. And last, check with the California 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 Specialty?  Some esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating 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 commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you choose a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your ambition 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 open a Palo Alto CA beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided?  Studying and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school offers limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. So try to find alternate schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s crucial that she or he receives aid in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with Palo Alto CA employers that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, ask 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 Aid Available?  Almost all esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Talk to 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 accessible to students as well. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an option until you determine what financial help may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Palo Alto CA?

Perhaps you live in the Palo Alto 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.

Palo Alto, California

Palo Alto (/ˌpæloʊ ˈæltoʊ/) is a charter city located in the northwest corner of Santa Clara County, California, United States, in the San Francisco Bay Area. Palo Alto means tall tree in Spanish; the city is named after a coastal redwood tree called El Palo Alto.

The city was established by Leland Stanford Sr. when he founded Stanford University, following the death of his son, Leland Stanford Jr. Palo Alto includes portions of Stanford University and shares its borders with East Palo Alto, Mountain View, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Stanford, Portola Valley, and Menlo Park. As of the 2010 census, the city's total resident population is 64,403.[5] Palo Alto is one of the five most expensive cities in the United States to live in[7][8] and its residents are among the highest educated in the country.[9]

Palo Alto is headquarters to a number of high-technology companies, including Hewlett-Packard (HP), Space Systems/Loral, VMware, Tesla, Ford Research and Innovation Center, PARC, IDEO, Skype, Palantir Technologies, Houzz, and Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Center.[10] Palo Alto has also served as an incubator and as headquarters to several other prominent high-technology companies such as Apple,[11]Google,[12]Facebook, Logitech,[13]Intuit, Pinterest, and PayPal.

Select the Right Esthetician Training Program near Palo Alto CA

Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician school is important to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to organize all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions presented 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 ready to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Palo Alto CA.

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