How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Pomona CA

How to Select an Esthetician School near Pomona California

Pomona CA esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Pomona CA, the process begins to find and enroll in the ideal program. It’s essential that the program you pick not only furnishes the necessary education for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial 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 speak a little bit more about that in the upcoming segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Pomona home. Tuition will likewise be an important consideration when evaluating possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not always the ideal option. There are a number of other considerations that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are offered.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Pomona CA Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through 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 actually 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, the majority of states require that you take some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Pomona CA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a customer base, open 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 go by many professional names and are employed in a wide range 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 have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, such as 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 Certificates and Degrees

Pomona CA esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two options offered to receive esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually call for 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 all of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you want to concentrate on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Pomona CA business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you go with, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s certified by the California Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming segment.

Online Esthetician Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Pomona CA Online esthetician classes are convenient for Pomona CA students who are employed full-time and have family commitments that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended through a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are often fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it’s vital that the school you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Degree Programs

Pomona CA models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a list of questions that you should investigate for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Pomona home, as well as the price of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together some of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the esthetician school 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in 91766 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Pomona CA employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Pomona CA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. And finally, consult the California school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you choose a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your goal is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your aspiration is to open a Pomona CA beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Any Live Training Provided? Learning and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty academy offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best option for developing your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s essential that he or she receives assistance in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer aid maintain relationships with Pomona CA employers that are seeking 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. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? Almost all esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students also. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an alternative before you find out what financial assistance may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Pomona CA?

Perhaps you live in the Pomona 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.

Pomona, California

Pomona is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Pomona is located in the Pomona Valley, between the Inland Empire and the San Gabriel Valley. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 149,058.[8]

The city is named for Pomona, the ancient Roman goddess of fruit.[9] For horticulturist Solomon Gates, "Pomona" was the winning entry in a contest to name the city in 1875, before anyone had ever planted a fruit tree.[10] The city was first settled by Ricardo Vejar and Ygnacio Palomares in the 1830s, when California and much of the now-American Southwest were part of Mexico. The first Anglo-Americans arrived in prior to 1848 when the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo resulted in California becoming part of the United States.[2] By the 1880s, the arrival of railroads and Coachella Valley water had made it the western anchor of the citrus-growing region. Pomona was officially incorporated on January 6, 1888.[2]

In the 1920s Pomona was known as the "Queen of the Citrus Belt", with one of the highest per-capita levels of income in the United States. In the 1940s it was used as a movie-previewing location for major motion picture studios to see how their films would play to modally middle-class audiences around the country (for which Pomona was at that time viewed as an idealized example).

Enroll in the Right Esthetics Program near Pomona CA

Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician program is important to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to collect all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the college and program you select are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are prepared to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Pomona CA.