How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Albany GA

How to Select an Esthetician Course near Albany Georgia

Albany GA esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Albany GA, the task starts to locate and enroll in the ideal program. It’s important that the school you pick not only furnishes the appropriate training for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be rather unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll talk a little bit further regarding that in the next segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Albany home. Tuition will additionally be an important factor when reviewing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the best choice. There are many other qualifications that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are available.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Albany GA Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic can be anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you undergo some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Albany GA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many names and work in a wide range of specializations including:

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

As formerly mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetics Certificates and Degrees

Albany GA esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two pathways offered to get esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically require 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 main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you prefer to specialize in just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also probably include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Albany GA business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you opt for, it’s important to make certain that it’s approved by the Georgia Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the next section.

Online Esthetician Schools

woman attending esthetician school online in Albany GA Online esthetician classes are advantageous for Albany GA students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are often fast paced since many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not spending numerous hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the training program you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Trade Schools

Albany GA models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a list of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Albany home, as well as the price of tuition, will most likely 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 preliminary 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 determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the esthetician training program you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 31701 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Albany GA employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Check rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Albany GA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. Finally, consult the Georgia 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 Specialty? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you enroll in 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 desire is to open a Albany GA beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.

Is Enough Live Training Provided? Practicing and refining esthetician techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty program furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best option for developing your skills. So look for other schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s essential that he or she receives help in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance maintain relationships with Albany GA employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Most 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 find out 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 too. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an option before you find out what financial help may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Albany GA?

Perhaps you live in the Albany Georgia 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.

Albany, Georgia

Albany is a city in the U.S. state of Georgia. Located on the Flint River, it is the seat of Dougherty County. Located in southwest Georgia,[5] it is the principal city of the Albany, Georgia metropolitan area. The population was 77,434 at the 2010 U.S. Census, making it the eighth-largest city in the state.[1]

It became prominent in the nineteenth century as a shipping and market center, first served by riverboats and then by railroads. Seven lines met in Albany, and it was a center of trade in the Southeast. It was part of the Black Belt, the extensive area in the Deep South of cotton plantations. From the mid-20th century, it received military investment during World War II and after, that helped develop the region. Albany and this area were prominent during the civil rights era, particularly during the early 1960s as activists worked to regain voting and other civil rights. Railroad restructuring and reduction in the military here caused job losses, but the city has developed new businesses.

The region where Albany is located was long inhabited by the Creek Indians, who called it Thronateeska after their word for "flint", the valuable mineral found in beds near the Flint River. They used it for making arrowheads and other tools.[6] In 1830 Congress passed the Indian Removal Act, and the United States made treaties to extinguish Creek and other Native American land claims in the Southeast. The US Army forcibly removed most of the native peoples to Indian Territory, lands west of the Mississippi River.

Pick the Right Esthetics Training Program near Albany GA

Finding and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is essential to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Don’t forget to collect all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the school and program you choose are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin 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 right choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are ready to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Albany GA.