How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Georgetown CT

How to Find the Right Esthetics College near Georgetown Connecticut

Georgetown CT 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 Georgetown CT, the process starts to find and enroll in the ideal program. It’s imperative that the program you pick not only provides the proper education for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you might be a little bit confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a little bit further regarding that in the upcoming segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Georgetown residence. Tuition will also be a critical factor when evaluating possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the ideal option. There are a number of other qualifications that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are available.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Georgetown CT Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you go through some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Georgetown CT beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles and are employed in a wide variety of specialties including:

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

As previously stated, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

Georgetown CT esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two avenues offered to get 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 usually call for 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you wish to focus on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Georgetown CT 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 decide on, it’s important to make certain that it’s recognized by the Connecticut Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming section.

Online Esthetics Programs

woman attending esthetician school online in Georgetown CT Online esthetician schools are accommodating for Georgetown CT students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based beauty school programs available that can be accessed through a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are typically fast paced given that many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with 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 school you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Programs

Georgetown CT models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Georgetown residence, together with the expense of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have collected some of those additional 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 college you choose 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 guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 06829 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Georgetown CT employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Georgetown CT salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. And last, check with the Connecticut school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you choose a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your dream is to start a Georgetown CT beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly rated 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 refining esthetician techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty academy offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for developing your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s important that she or he receives aid in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide assistance maintain relationships with Georgetown CT employers that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Talk to 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 each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an alternative until you learn what financial assistance may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Georgetown CT?

Perhaps you live in the Georgetown Connecticut 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.

Georgetown, Connecticut

Georgetown is located at the southwest corner of the town of Redding, the northwest corner of the town of Weston, the southeast corner of the town of Ridgefield, and the northeast corner of the town of Wilton. Georgetown residents officially live in and pay local taxes to one of these four towns, but typically identify themselves as living in Georgetown. Georgetown has its own fire district, which also serves the surrounding rural areas not traditionally included in Georgetown, and its own ZIP code (06829).

On April 9, 1987, the central portion of the village was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places as the Georgetown Historic District. A map shows its approximate location within Georgetown.[2] The historic district is an area of 90 acres (360,000 m2) that includes the Gilbert and Bennett manufacturing plant, institutional housing built for the plant workers, and other private homes. The district includes portions of Georgetown in the towns of Redding and Wilton.[3]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 2.85 square miles (7.4 km2), of which 2.84 square miles (7.4 km2) is land and 0.02 square miles (0.052 km2), or 0.70%, is water. Of the total area of the CDP, 2.36 square miles (6.1 km2) are in Wilton, 0.33 square miles (0.85 km2) are in Redding, and 0.16 square miles (0.41 km2) are in Weston.

Enroll in the Right Esthetician Training Program near Georgetown CT

Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is imperative to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to compile all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the academy and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Georgetown CT.