How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Waterbury CT

How to Choose an Esthetics Program near Waterbury Connecticut

Waterbury CT esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Waterbury CT, the task starts to locate and enroll in the best program. It’s important that the program you select not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you may be a little bit puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a bit further concerning that in the next segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Waterbury home. Tuition will likewise be a critical factor when reviewing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not always the right option. There are many 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 looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are available.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Waterbury CT Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you take some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Waterbury CT beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a clientele, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many titles and are employed in a wide range of specialties including:

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

As earlier stated, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees

Waterbury CT esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two avenues offered to obtain 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 take 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 each of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Waterbury CT business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you choose, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s certified by the Connecticut Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the following segment.

Online Esthetics Courses

woman attending esthetician school online in Waterbury CT Online esthetician classes are accommodating for Waterbury CT students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based beauty school programs offered that can be accessed through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are frequently fast paced since many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it’s important that the school you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Training Courses

Waterbury CT models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a list of questions that you will want to research for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Waterbury home, in addition to the expense of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish 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 initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the esthetician school 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 meet their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 06701 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Waterbury CT employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Waterbury CT salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to propose others that you had not considered. Finally, consult the Connecticut school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often 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 intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your vision is to launch a Waterbury CT beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty academy furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for other schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s imperative that he or she receives support in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer help develop relationships with Waterbury CT employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students too. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you find out what financial assistance may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Waterbury CT?

Perhaps you live in the Waterbury 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.

Waterbury, Connecticut

Waterbury (nicknamed "The Brass City") is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut on the Naugatuck River, 33 miles southwest of Hartford and 77 miles northeast of New York City. Waterbury is the second-largest city in New Haven County, Connecticut. As of the 2010 census, Waterbury had a population of 110,366,[3] making it the 10th largest city in the New York Metropolitan Area, 9th largest city in New England and the 5th largest city in Connecticut.[4]

Throughout the first half of the 20th century, Waterbury had large industrial interests and was the leading center in the United States for the manufacture of brassware (including castings and finishings), as reflected in the nickname the "Brass City" and the city's motto Quid Aere Perennius? ("What Is More Lasting Than Brass?"). It was also noted for the manufacture of watches and clocks.

The city is along Interstate 84 (Yankee Expressway) and Route 8 and has a Metro-North railroad station with connections to Grand Central Terminal. Waterbury is also home to Post University and the regional campuses of the University of Connecticut, University of Bridgeport, Western Connecticut State University as well as Naugatuck Valley Community College.

Select the Right Esthetician Vocational School near Waterbury CT

Choosing and enrolling in the right esthetician program is important to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the school and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you start 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 proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are ready to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Waterbury CT.