How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Lake Mills IA

How to Find the Right Esthetician Program near Lake Mills Iowa

Lake Mills IA esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Lake Mills IA, the process starts to search for and enroll in the ideal program. It’s essential that the program you choose not only furnishes the appropriate education for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be rather unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a bit further about that in the next segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Lake Mills residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical consideration when reviewing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not always the right option. There are various other considerations that you should evaluate when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning 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 kinds of training programs are available.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Lake Mills IA Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more attractive with the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic can be anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you take some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Lake Mills IA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by 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 already stated, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees

Lake Mills IA esthetician client with face mask There are basically two avenues available to receive 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 generally 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 each of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you want to focus on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Lake Mills IA business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you decide on, it’s important to make certain that it’s approved by the Iowa Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next section.

Online Esthetician Programs

woman attending esthetician school online in Lake Mills IA Online esthetician classes are advantageous for Lake Mills IA students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs offered that can be attended through a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced given that many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not spending numerous hours outside of your home or travelling to and from classes. However, it’s imperative that the program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Degree Programs

Lake Mills IA models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series 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 Lake Mills residence, together with the expense of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the esthetician school you enroll in 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 50450 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Lake Mills IA employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Lake Mills IA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. Finally, consult the Iowa school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you pick a school that focuses on 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 vision is to open a Lake Mills 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 regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty academy furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for developing your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s important that he or she receives support in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develop relationships with Lake Mills IA businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? The majority of esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Speak with 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 available to students too. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an option before you determine what financial help may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Lake Mills IA?

Perhaps you live in the Lake Mills 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.

Lake Mills, Iowa

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 2,100 people, 944 households, and 552 families residing in the city. The population density was 777.8 inhabitants per square mile (300.3/km2). There were 1,055 housing units at an average density of 390.7 per square mile (150.9/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 96.7% White, 0.3% African American, 1.0% Asian, 1.1% from other races, and 0.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.6% of the population.

There were 944 households of which 26.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.5% were married couples living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 41.5% were non-families. 37.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.16 and the average family size was 2.80.

The median age in the city was 45.3 years. 22.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 21.1% were from 25 to 44; 26.6% were from 45 to 64; and 23.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.9% male and 52.1% female.

Select the Right Esthetician Program near Lake Mills IA

Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is essential to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to compile all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the academy and program you choose are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to start your career as a professional esthetician in Lake Mills IA.