How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Lecanto FL

How to Pick an Esthetics College near Lecanto Florida

Lecanto FL esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Lecanto FL, the process starts to find and enroll in the ideal program. It’s imperative that the school you pick not only furnishes the proper training for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be somewhat unclear 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 type of school. We’ll talk a bit more about that in the following segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Lecanto home. Tuition will likewise be a critical factor when assessing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the right option. There are several other factors that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review 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 types of courses are available.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Lecanto FL Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more attractive through the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you go through some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Lecanto FL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a client base, establish 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 names and work in a wide variety of specializations including:

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

As already mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, for instance 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 Certificates and Degrees

Lecanto FL esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two avenues available to receive esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally call for 12 to 18 months to finish, 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 wish to concentrate on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Lecanto FL business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you decide on, it’s important to make certain that it’s certified by the Florida Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next section.

Online Esthetician Programs

woman attending esthetician school online in Lecanto FL Online esthetician classes are convenient for Lecanto FL students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended through a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are often fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as brief as six or eight 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 away from your home or commuting to and from classes. However, it’s imperative that the training program you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Training Programs

Lecanto FL models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you will want to look into for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Lecanto residence, in addition to the price 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 reduced your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled some of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the esthetician college you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged 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 ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 34460 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Lecanto FL employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any esthetician college 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 testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Lecanto FL salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, 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 finally, check with the Florida school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in total 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 broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you choose a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your ambition 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 launch a Lecanto FL beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty academy offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for developing your skills. So try to find other schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s imperative that she or he gets assistance in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer help develop relationships with Lecanto FL businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and find out 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 accessible to students also. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not drop it as an option until you learn what financial aid may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Lecanto FL?

Perhaps you live in the Lecanto Florida 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.

Lecanto, Florida

Lecanto is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Citrus County, Florida, United States. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 5,882,[3] up from 5,161 in 2000. It is home to several county government facilities such as the Citrus County Sheriff's Office and the Citrus Campus of the College of Central Florida.

Lecanto is located at the geographic center of Citrus County at 28°51′N 82°29′W / 28.850°N 82.483°W / 28.850; -82.483 (28.8488, -82.4811).[4]State Road 44 (Gulf to Lake Highway) runs through the center of the CDP, leading west 7 miles (11 km) to Crystal River and east 10 miles (16 km) to Inverness, the county seat.

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 5,161 people, 1,861 households, and 1,369 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 190.8 people per square mile (73.7/km²). There were 2,095 housing units at an average density of 77.5/sq mi (29.9/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 93.88% White, 2.96% African American, 0.76% Native American, 0.76% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.43% from other races, and 1.20% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.71% of the population.

Select the Right Esthetics Training Program near Lecanto FL

Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is essential to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to organize all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the academy and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Lecanto FL.