How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Coralville IA

How to Pick an Esthetics Training Program near Coralville Iowa

Coralville 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 Coralville IA, the process starts to search for and enroll in the ideal program. It’s imperative that the program you choose not only provides the appropriate training for the specialty you have selected, 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 pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a little bit further regarding that in the following segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Coralville home. Tuition will likewise be an important factor when evaluating potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the right choice. There are several other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning 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 courses are offered.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Coralville IA Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you take some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Coralville IA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a customer base, open 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 are known by many titles and are employed in a wide variety of specialties including:

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

As previously mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those offering 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 become licensed in those states.

Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

Coralville IA esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two pathways offered to obtain esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally 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 main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you wish to concentrate on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Coralville IA business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you go with, it’s essential to make certain that it’s recognized by the Iowa Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following segment.

Online Esthetics Schools

woman attending esthetician school online in Coralville IA Online esthetician programs are advantageous for Coralville IA students who are employed full-time and have family commitments that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are many online cosmetology school programs available that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are frequently fast paced given that many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or commuting to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the program you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Trade Schools

Coralville IA models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Coralville home, together with the price of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the esthetician school you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged 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 assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in 52241 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 Coralville IA businesses will not employ 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 institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Coralville IA 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. And finally, consult the Iowa school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating 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 often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you choose a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your objective 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 aspiration is to open a Coralville IA 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 poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and mastering esthetician skills and techniques involves lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty program furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s important that he or she receives assistance in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer help maintain relationships with Coralville IA employers that are searching for skilled 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, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Most esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students as well. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not omit it as an alternative before you determine what financial aid may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Coralville IA?

Perhaps you live in the Coralville 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.

Coralville, Iowa

Coralville incorporated as a city in June first, 1857. The city's name comes from the fossils that are found in the limestone along the Iowa River. In 1864 Louis Agassiz, a Harvard University zoologist, gave a lecture at the nearby University of Iowa titled “The Coral Reefs of Iowa City”.[4] During the lecture he presented local samples of fossilized Devonian period coral.[1] The lecture was well received and helped raise public interest in the local fossils. In 1866, more corals were discovered at the site of a new mill, inspiring the citizens of the area to name the settlement "Coralville".[5] The first mill at Coralville was built in 1844, and in the years that followed, a number of mills were powered by the Coralville mill dam along the Iowa River,[2] but all of the mills had closed by 1900, except for a low-head hydroelectric plant that remained in operation until the mid 20th century.

Coralville is also the location where some 1300 Mormon immigrants stopped to make camp in their migration of 1856 after having traveled west by rail to Iowa City, which was the westernmost rail terminus at the time. They built handcarts out of native woods during their encampment so that an adult could haul a 600–700 pound load and cover about 15 miles per day on foot in their continuing trek to Salt Lake City. A historical marker commemorating the Mormon Handcart Brigade was erected in 1936 by the Iowa Society DAR, with members of the Pilgrim Chapter present. Originally placed just south of 5th Street and west of 10th Street, it was moved in 1998 to S. T. Morrison Park and rededicated by the Nathaniel Fellows Chapter, placed near the entrance and pond. Today, the Mormon Handcart Park and Nature Preserve commemorates the site. There is also a street, Mormon Trek Blvd, named for the Mormons who went through that area.

After World War II Coralville began to grow as many university students began to make their homes there. It had only 433 people in 1940, but by 1970 Coralville's population had jumped to 6,130.[6] The construction of Interstate 80 in the 1960s brought several motels, fast-food restaurants, and gas stations to Coralville.

Select the Right Esthetics Training Program near Coralville IA

Selecting and enrolling in the right esthetician program is important to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Make certain to organize all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you pick are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions supplied 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 test, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Coralville IA.