How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools San Jose CA

How to Choose an Esthetician Program near San Jose California

San Jose CA esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near San Jose CA, the task starts to find and enroll in the right program. It’s important that the school you choose not only furnishes the appropriate training for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. 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 essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll talk a little bit more concerning that in the following section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your San Jose residence. Tuition will also be an important consideration when assessing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the right option. There are a number of other qualifications that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are available.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners San Jose CA Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more attractive through the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are referred to 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 go through some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only San Jose CA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own residences or will go to the client’s house, 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 some states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetics Certificates and Degrees

San Jose CA esthetician client with face mask There are basically two pathways available to get 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 require 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 trained in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you prefer to focus 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 San Jose CA business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you choose, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s approved by the California Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following section.

Online Esthetician Programs

woman attending esthetician school online in San Jose CA Online esthetician programs are accommodating for San Jose CA students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based beauty school programs available that can be attended via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced given that many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you’re not spending numerous hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it’s essential that the program you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Trade Schools

San Jose CA models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you will want to look into for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your San Jose home, together with the price of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the esthetician college 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 quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 95101 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous San Jose CA employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each esthetician institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with San Jose CA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. Finally, consult the California school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you decide on 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 dream is to launch a San Jose 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 regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and refining esthetician skills and techniques demands lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy offers limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. So look for alternate schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s essential that she or he gets support in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance maintain relationships with San Jose CA businesses that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Many esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may get approved 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 meets each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not drop it as an alternative before you find out what financial aid may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near San Jose CA?

Perhaps you live in the San Jose 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.

San Jose, California

San Jose[A] (/ˌsæn hoʊˈzeɪ, -ˈseɪ/; Spanish for 'Saint Joseph'; Spanish: [saŋ xoˈse]),[13] officially the City of San José,[B] is an economic, cultural and political center of Silicon Valley and the largest city in Northern California. With an estimated 2017 population of 1,035,317, it is the third most populous city in California (after Los Angeles and San Diego) and the tenth most populous in United States.[14] Located in the center of the Santa Clara Valley, on the southern shore of San Francisco Bay, San Jose covers an area of 179.97 square miles (466.1 km2). San Jose is the county seat of Santa Clara County, the most affluent county in California and one of the most affluent counties in the United States.[15][16][17][18] San Jose is the largest city in both the San Francisco Bay Area and the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland Combined Statistical Area, which contain 7.7 million and 8.7 million people respectively.[19][20][21]

San Jose is a global city,[22] notable as a center of innovation, for its affluence,[23][24][25] weather, and high cost of living.[26] San Jose's location within the booming high tech industry, as a cultural, political, and economic center has earned the city the nickname "Capital of Silicon Valley". San Jose is one of the wealthiest major cities in the United States and the world, and has the third highest GDP per capita in the world (after Zürich, Switzerland and Oslo, Norway), according to the Brookings Institution.[27] The San Jose Metropolitan Area has the most millionaires and the most billionaires in the United States per capita.[28] With a median home price of $1,085,000,[29] San Jose has the most expensive housing market in the country and the fifth most expensive housing market in the world, according to the 2017 Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey.[30][31][32][33] Major global tech companies including Cisco Systems, eBay, Cadence Design Systems, Adobe Systems, PayPal, Brocade, Samsung, Acer, and Western Digital maintain their headquarters in San Jose, in the center of Silicon Valley.

Before the arrival of the Spanish, the area around San Jose was inhabited by the Tamien nation of the Ohlone indigenous peoples of California. San Jose was founded on 29 November 1777, as the Pueblo de San José de Guadalupe, the first city founded in the Californias.[34] Following the American Conquest of California and its subsequent statehood in 1850, San Jose became the state's first capital.[35] Following World War II, San Jose experienced an economic boom, with a rapid population growth and aggressive annexation of nearby cities and communities carried out in the 1950s and 1960s. The rapid growth of the high-technology and electronics industries further accelerated the transition from an agricultural center to an urbanized metropolitan area. Results of the 1990 U.S. Census indicated that San Jose had officially surpassed San Francisco as the most populous city in Northern California.[36] By the 1990s, San Jose and the rest of Silicon Valley had become the global center for the high tech and internet industries, making it California's fastest-growing economy.[37]

Choose the Right Esthetician Vocational School near San Jose CA

Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is important to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to organize all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the institution and program you decide on are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, 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 examination, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to start your new career as a professional esthetician in San Jose CA.