How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Clarion IA

How to Select an Esthetics Program near Clarion Iowa

Clarion IA esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Clarion IA, the process starts to find and enroll in the best program. It’s essential that the program you select not only provides the appropriate education for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you may be somewhat confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a little bit more regarding that in the upcoming section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Clarion home. Tuition will also be a critical factor when assessing potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the best option. There are many other factors that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are offered.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Clarion IA Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually 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, most states mandate that you undergo some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Clarion IA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a client base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional names and work in a wide variety of specialties including:

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

As previously stated, in the majority of states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees

Clarion IA esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two pathways offered to obtain esthetician training and a credential after 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 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 offered if you wish to focus on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Clarion IA business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you opt for, it’s essential to make sure that it’s approved by the Iowa Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next section.

Online Esthetics Schools

woman attending esthetician school online in Clarion IA Online esthetician classes are advantageous for Clarion IA students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are often fast paced because many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you’re not spending numerous hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it’s vital that the program you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Schools

Clarion IA models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you should look into for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Clarion home, in addition to the expense of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the esthetician school you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 50525 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Clarion IA employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Clarion IA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. Finally, contact the Iowa school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you pick a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your goal 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 open a Clarion IA 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 deliver the training you need.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty school furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for developing your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s imperative that she or he gets support in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide help develop relationships with Clarion IA businesses that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and identify 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 except for expense, do not drop it as an alternative until you determine what financial aid may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Clarion IA?

Perhaps you live in the Clarion Iowa 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.

Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Community School District

The Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Community School District is a public P/K-12 school district headquartered in Clarion, Iowa.[2] The school district covers over 355 square miles (920 km2),[citation needed] mostly in Wright County, with portions of the district extending into Franklin, Humboldt, and Hancock counties. The district serves the communities of Clarion, Dows, Galt, and Goldfield,[3] as well as the unincorporated communities of Cornelia and Holmes.[4] Schools within the district include an elementary school (P/K-5), a middle school (6-8), and a high school (9-12) all located in Clarion.

The Clarion-Goldfield Community School District and the Dows Community School District consolidated into the Clarion-Goldfield-Dows CSD on July 1, 2014.[5] The two school districts sought a merger because of declining enrollments and because a State of Iowa funding program for small schools was to be terminated in 2013. The election for whether the districts should be merged was scheduled for September 10, 2013;[6] 98% of Clarion-Goldfield voters and 85% of the Dows voters approved of the merger.[7]

The Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Community School District serves 954 students (2014–15). Grades 6-12 are one-to-one. Students in the middle school all have school issued iPads. High School students are issued MacBook Airs.

Enroll in the Right Esthetician Vocational School near Clarion IA

Finding and enrolling in the right esthetician program is imperative to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to collect all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you choose are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are prepared to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Clarion IA.