How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Alexandria IN

How to Select an Esthetics College near Alexandria Indiana

Alexandria IN esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Alexandria IN, the process begins to locate and enroll in the right program. It’s essential that the program you pick not only furnishes the appropriate education for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be rather confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a little bit further regarding that in the upcoming section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Alexandria residence. Tuition will likewise be an important aspect when reviewing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the right option. There are various other factors that you should weigh when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine 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 programs are offered.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Alexandria IN Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be almost anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you take some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Alexandria IN beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have 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 previously stated, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees

Alexandria IN esthetician client with face mask There are basically two avenues offered to obtain 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 take 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 trained in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you prefer to focus on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Alexandria IN business. Higher 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 go with, it’s important to make sure that it’s certified by the Indiana Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next segment.

Online Esthetics Courses

woman attending esthetician school online in Alexandria IN Online esthetician classes are accommodating for Alexandria IN 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 beauty school programs available that can be accessed via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are typically fast paced given that many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or commuting to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the training program you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Training Classes

Alexandria IN models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you should investigate for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Alexandria home, together with the cost of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. 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 necessary to make sure that the esthetician training program you select 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 46001 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 Alexandria IN businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Alexandria IN salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. And last, check with the Indiana school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing 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 important that you select a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your ambition 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 open a Alexandria IN 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 provide the training you require.

Is Enough Live Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty academy provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. Therefore search for 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 program, it’s crucial that she or he receives help in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance develop relationships with Alexandria IN businesses that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Many esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask 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 get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students too. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you find out what financial help may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Alexandria IN?

Perhaps you live in the Alexandria Indiana 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.

Alexandria

Alexandria (/ˌælɪɡˈzændriə/ or /-ˈzɑːnd-/;[3]Egyptian Arabic: إسكندريه‎ Eskendereyya; Arabic: الإسكندرية‎ al-ʾIskandariyya; Coptic: Ⲁⲗⲉⲝⲁⲛⲇⲣⲓⲁ Alexandria or Ⲣⲁⲕⲟⲧⲉ Rakotə; Greek: Αλεξάνδρεια Alexandreía) is the second-largest city in Egypt and a major economic centre, extending about 32 km (20 mi) along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country. Its low elevation on the Nile delta makes it highly vulnerable to rising sea levels. Alexandria is an important industrial center because of its natural gas and oil pipelines from Suez. Alexandria is also a popular tourist destination.

Alexandria was founded around a small, ancient Egyptian town c. 332 BC by Alexander the Great. It became an important center of Hellenistic civilization and remained the capital of Ptolemaic (Greek) Egypt and Roman and Byzantine Egypt for almost 1,000 years, until the Muslim conquest of Egypt in AD 641, when a new capital was founded at Fustat (later absorbed into Cairo). Hellenistic Alexandria was best known for the Lighthouse of Alexandria (Pharos), one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World; its Great Library (the largest in the ancient world; now replaced by a modern one); and the Necropolis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Middle Ages. Alexandria was at one time the second most powerful city of the ancient Mediterranean region, after Rome. Ongoing maritime archaeology in the harbor of Alexandria, which began in 1994, is revealing details of Alexandria both before the arrival of Alexander, when a city named Rhacotis existed there, and during the Ptolemaic dynasty.

From the late 18th century, Alexandria became a major center of the international shipping industry and one of the most important trading centers in the world, both because it profited from the easy overland connection between the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea, and the lucrative trade in Egyptian cotton.

Enroll in the Right Esthetician Vocational School near Alexandria IN

Selecting and enrolling in the right esthetician program is essential to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel confident about your decision. Don’t forget to consolidate all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the college and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to start your career as a professional esthetician in Alexandria IN.