How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Northwood IA

How to Select an Esthetician Training Program near Northwood Iowa

Northwood IA esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Northwood IA, the process starts to search for and enroll in the right program. It’s imperative that the program you select not only provides the proper training for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be a little bit confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a little bit more concerning that in the next section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Northwood home. Tuition will likewise be an important consideration when assessing potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the right option. There are several other qualifications that you should weigh when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review 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 available.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Northwood IA Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more attractive with the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be almost anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you undergo some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Northwood IA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a client base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many names and are employed in a wide range of specializations including:

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

As previously mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees

Northwood IA esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two options 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 normally require 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 main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you want to focus on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also most likely incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Northwood IA business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you opt for, it’s essential to make certain that it’s approved by the Iowa Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming segment.

Online Esthetics Courses

woman attending esthetician school online in Northwood IA Online esthetician classes are accommodating for Northwood IA students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs available that can be attended through a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced because many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours away from your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the program you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Training Programs

Northwood 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 considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Northwood residence, as well as the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary 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 agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in 50459 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Northwood IA employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Check rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Northwood IA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, 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 thought of. Finally, check with the Iowa school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential 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 start a Northwood IA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty 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 offers little 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 try to find other schools that provide this type 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 aid in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish help develop relationships with Northwood IA businesses that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may get approved 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 fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you determine what financial assistance may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Northwood IA?

Perhaps you live in the Northwood 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.

Northwood, Iowa

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 1,989 people, 885 households, and 530 families residing in the city. The population density was 529.0 inhabitants per square mile (204.2/km2). There were 1,004 housing units at an average density of 267.0 per square mile (103.1/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 97.3% White, 0.5% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 0.9% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.3% of the population.

There were 885 households of which 25.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.5% were married couples living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 40.1% were non-families. 35.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.80.

The median age in the city was 44.2 years. 21.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.4% were from 25 to 44; 27.2% were from 45 to 64; and 21.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.1% male and 51.9% female.

Choose the Right Esthetics Program near Northwood IA

Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician college is important to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the institution and program you decide on are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. Once 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 Northwood IA.