How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Oelwein IA

How to Pick an Esthetics Program near Oelwein Iowa

Oelwein IA esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Oelwein IA, the task begins to find and enroll in the ideal program. It’s imperative that the school you select not only furnishes the necessary training for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be a little bit unclear about the contrast 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 next segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Oelwein home. Tuition will additionally be a critical aspect when evaluating prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the right choice. There are several other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are available.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Oelwein IA Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more attractive through the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may 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 undergo some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Oelwein IA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a clientele, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles 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 formerly stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees

Oelwein IA esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two options offered 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 typically take 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you prefer to focus on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Oelwein IA business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you decide on, it’s important to make sure that it’s approved by the Iowa Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the next section.

Online Esthetics Training

woman attending esthetician school online in Oelwein IA Online esthetician classes are advantageous for Oelwein IA students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs offered that can be accessed through a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced because many courses 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 amount of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it’s vital that the program you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Trade Schools

Oelwein IA models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you need to look into for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Oelwein home, together with the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish 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 take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make certain that the esthetician training program 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 50662 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Oelwein IA employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Oelwein 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 might even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. And last, check with the Iowa school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you enroll in a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your objective 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 dream is to open a Oelwein 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 ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Any Live Training Provided? Practicing and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques demands lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty academy offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. So search for other schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s important that he or she gets aid in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide assistance maintain relationships with Oelwein IA businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Many esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and find out 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 accessible to students as well. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an option before you determine what financial help may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Oelwein IA?

Perhaps you live in the Oelwein 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.

Oelwein, Iowa

Oelwein is a city in Fayette County, Iowa, United States. The population was 6,415 at the 2010 census, a decrease of 4.1% from the 2000 census.[4] The largest community in Fayette County, it is located at the junction of State Highways 3 and 150.[5]

The town of Oelwein was laid out in a corn field purchased from Gustav Oelwein on the coming of the Burlington, Cedar Rapids and Minnesota Railroad (later called the Rock Island) in 1872. Some years later the two dividing streets of Oelwein were named after his sons, Frederick and Charles.

The town of Oelwein is named after the Oelwein family, but they were not the original settlers of the land. On the contrary, it was entered by a professional man at Dubuque, who made it his business to enter land, add a good fee for his trouble, plus a high rate of interest, and then not turn it over to the man in whose name it was registered until he was able to pay the price. Oelwein's present site was entered in 1852 by J. B. Burch. The hamlet of Oelwein was instituted in 1873, and was incorporated as a town in 1888, with Dr. Israel Pattison becoming its first mayor. The town suffered its chief setback in 1887, when nearly all of the old Main Street business district (now First Avenue SE) was destroyed by fire. In 1890 the census gave the population as 830.

Pick the Right Esthetics Training Program near Oelwein IA

Choosing and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is essential to receive the appropriate 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. Don’t forget to consolidate all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the college and program you select are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when 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 Oelwein IA.