How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Notre Dame IN

How to Pick an Esthetics College near Notre Dame Indiana

Notre Dame IN esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Notre Dame IN, the task starts to find and enroll in the ideal program. It’s important that the school you select not only provides the proper education for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you might be a little bit puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a little bit further concerning that in the upcoming section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Notre Dame home. Tuition will additionally be an important aspect when reviewing potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not always the right option. There are a number of other considerations that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Notre Dame IN Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many 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 almost anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you undergo some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Notre Dame IN beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a customer base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own residences or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional 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 previously stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees and Certificates

Notre Dame IN esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two options 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 generally 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 instructed in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you prefer to specialize in just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Notre Dame IN business. Higher degrees are not common, 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 important to make certain that it’s approved by the Indiana Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following section.

Online Esthetics Schools

woman attending esthetician school online in Notre Dame IN Online esthetician programs are accommodating for Notre Dame IN students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs offered that can be accessed via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are frequently fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting many hours outside of your home or commuting to and 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 required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Training Programs

Notre Dame IN models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you will want to research for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Notre Dame home, together with the price of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the esthetician school you choose 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 measure up to their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 46556 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Notre Dame IN employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Notre Dame IN salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. And last, consult the Indiana school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you select a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your goal is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your desire is to open a Notre Dame IN 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 weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.

Is Any Live Training Provided? Practicing and refining esthetician techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty school furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. Therefore look for other schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s essential that she or he gets help in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer assistance maintain relationships with Notre Dame IN employers that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students too. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an option before you determine what financial assistance may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Notre Dame IN?

Perhaps you live in the Notre Dame 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.

University of Notre Dame

The University of Notre Dame du Lac (or simply Notre Dame /ˌnoʊtərˈdeɪm/ NOH-tər-DAYM or ND) is a private, non-profit Catholic research university in Notre Dame, Indiana.[7] The main campus covers 1,250 acres (510 ha) in a suburban setting and it contains a number of recognizable landmarks, such as the Golden Dome, the "Word of Life" mural (commonly known as Touchdown Jesus), the Notre Dame Stadium, and the Basilica. The school was founded on November 26, 1842, by Father Edward Sorin, CSC, who was also its first president.

Notre Dame is consistently recognized as one of the top universities in the United States, in particular for its undergraduate education.[8][9][10][11] Undergraduate students are organized into six colleges, Arts and Letters, Science, Engineering, Business, Architecture and Global Affairs. The School of Architecture is known for teaching New Classical Architecture and for awarding the globally renowned annual Driehaus Architecture Prize. The university offers over 50 foreign study abroad yearlong programs and over 15 summer programs.[12] Notre Dame's graduate program has more than 50 master, doctoral and professional degree programs offered by the five schools, with the addition of the Notre Dame Law School and a MD-PhD program offered in combination with the Indiana University School of Medicine.[13][14] It maintains a system of libraries, cultural venues, artistic and scientific museums, including the Hesburgh Library and the Snite Museum of Art. The majority of the university's 8,000 undergraduates live on campus in one of 31 residence halls, each with its own traditions, legacies, events, and intramural sports teams. The university counts approximately 134,000 alumni, considered among the strongest alumni networks among U.S. colleges.[15][16][17]

The university's athletic teams are members of the NCAA Division I and are known collectively as the Fighting Irish. Notre Dame is known for its football team, which contributed to its rise to prominence on the national stage in the early 20th century; the team an Independent with no conference affiliation, has accumulated eleven consensus national championships, seven Heisman Trophy winners, 62 members in the College Football Hall of Fame, and 13 members in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.[18] Other ND sport teams, chiefly in the Atlantic Coast Conference, have accumulated 17 national championships.[19] The Notre Dame Victory March is often regarded as one of the most famous and recognizable collegiate fight songs.

Select the Right Esthetician Program near Notre Dame IN

Choosing and enrolling in the right esthetician college is essential to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to compile 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 compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the institution and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are ready to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Notre Dame IN.