How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Rancho Palos Verdes CA

How to Find the Right Esthetician Training Program near Rancho Palos Verdes California

Rancho Palos Verdes CA esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Rancho Palos Verdes CA, the process begins to locate and enroll in the ideal program. It’s important that the program you pick not only furnishes the necessary education for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be a little bit puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll speak a bit further about that in the next section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Rancho Palos Verdes residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical consideration when assessing potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the ideal option. There are several other factors that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are available.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Rancho Palos Verdes CA Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through 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 word cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be 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 be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Rancho Palos Verdes 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, 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 are known by many titles and work in a wide range of specialties including:

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

As formerly stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, for example 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.

Esthetics Degrees and Certificates

Rancho Palos Verdes CA esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two options offered to get esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally call for 12 to 18 months to finish, 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 major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you prefer to focus on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Rancho Palos Verdes CA business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you choose, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s recognized by the California Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the next section.

Online Esthetician Programs

woman attending esthetician school online in Rancho Palos Verdes CA Online esthetician classes are accommodating for Rancho Palos Verdes CA students who are employed full-time and have family commitments that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs offered that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools are frequently fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or travelling to and from classes. However, it’s imperative that the program you select 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 difficult to acquire the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Training Programs

Rancho Palos Verdes CA 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 already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Rancho Palos Verdes home, in addition to the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the esthetician college you pick 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 90275 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Rancho Palos Verdes CA businesses will not hire 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 evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. 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, showing that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Rancho Palos Verdes CA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And last, contact the California school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full 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 specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you select a school that specializes in 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 desire is to launch a Rancho Palos Verdes CA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician skills and techniques requires lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. Therefore look for other schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s essential that he or she receives help in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with Rancho Palos Verdes CA businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Many esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. 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 offered to students also. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not discard it as an alternative before you determine what financial aid may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Rancho Palos Verdes CA?

Perhaps you live in the Rancho Palos Verdes 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.

Rancho Palos Verdes, California

Rancho Palos Verdes (also known by the abbreviation RPV) is a city in Los Angeles County, California atop the Palos Verdes Hills and bluffs of the Palos Verdes Peninsula. An affluent suburb of Los Angeles, it is known for large tracts of open space and expansive views of the Pacific Ocean. Rancho Palos Verdes is translated as "Ranch of Green Sticks", probably referring to the willows in the northeastern part of Bixby Slough (now known as Machado Lake) shown on earlier maps.

The history of Rancho Palos Verdes dates back to the Tongva or Gabrielino Indians, who inhabited the site before the Age of Discovery. Spanish explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo was credited as the first European to navigate the California Coast in 1542, which included the hills of Rancho Palos Verdes. Rancho de los Palos Verdes was established by a Mexican land grant given in 1846 by Governor Pio Pico to Jose Loreto and Juan Capistrano Sepulveda.

The city's most notable geographic features are the Palos Verdes Hills and cliffs, with grand vistas of the Pacific Ocean and of Santa Catalina Island. The city incorporated on September 7, 1973. The population was 41,643 at the 2010 census.

Pick the Right Esthetician Vocational School near Rancho Palos Verdes CA

Finding and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is essential to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Make certain to compile all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the school and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are qualified to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Rancho Palos Verdes CA.