How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Pleasant Valley IA

How to Pick an Esthetics College near Pleasant Valley Iowa

Pleasant Valley 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 Pleasant Valley IA, the process starts to find and enroll in the right program. It’s imperative that the school you select not only furnishes the appropriate training for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be somewhat confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a bit further about that in the upcoming segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Pleasant Valley residence. Tuition will additionally be an important factor when evaluating possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not always the ideal option. There are various other factors that you should weigh when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are offered.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Pleasant Valley IA Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term 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, almost all states mandate that you undergo some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Pleasant Valley IA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a customer base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many names and work in a wide range 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 a few states there is an exception. Only those offering 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

Pleasant Valley IA esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two pathways offered to get esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically call for 12 to 18 months to finish, 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 offered if you wish to focus on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Pleasant Valley IA business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you choose, it’s essential to make certain that it’s recognized by the Iowa Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, such as 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 Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Pleasant Valley IA Online esthetician classes are accommodating for Pleasant Valley IA students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs available that can be attended via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are often fast paced given that many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not spending numerous hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the training program you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Programs

Pleasant Valley IA models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you will want to research for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Pleasant Valley home, as well as the cost of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the esthetician school you pick 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 superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in 52767 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Pleasant Valley 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 Great Reputation? Any esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Pleasant Valley IA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. And finally, consult the Iowa school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you decide on a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your dream is to launch a Pleasant Valley IA beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and mastering esthetician skills and techniques requires lots of practice on volunteers. Find out 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 growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for developing your skills. Therefore search for other schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s essential that she or he receives support in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid develop relationships with Pleasant Valley IA employers that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students also. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you learn what financial aid may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Pleasant Valley IA?

Perhaps you live in the Pleasant Valley 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.

Pleasant Valley High School (Iowa)

Pleasant Valley High School is a four-year comprehensive high school located in Riverdale, Iowa, near Bettendorf.[2][3][4] The school is part of the Pleasant Valley Community School District, and it has an enrollment of approximately 1,402 students in grades 9 through 12.[1]

Located approximately one mile west of U.S. Highway 67, Pleasant Valley High School draws students from several communities in eastern Iowa Scott County, Iowa, including the northeast sections of Bettendorf, plus Riverdale, LeClaire and surrounding rural areas—including the unincorporated Pleasant Valley Township (for which the school district was named).

The Pleasant Valley Township School District had formed in 1957, and two elementary schools in the tiny school district—Riverview and Pleasant View—were deemed too small to house a high school program. Construction on a $1.36 million junior-senior high school building, on a 40-acre site along Belmont Road at Bettendorf's northeast city limits, began in 1959, and the first day of class was September 12, 1960. The first graduating class was in 1962, with 24 seniors (there was no 1961 graduating class). Richard Klahn was the first principal, and oversaw a teaching staff that was quickly regarded as one of the finest in Iowa. (The first teaching staff had to have master's degrees or were currently working on one.)

Find the Right Esthetics College near Pleasant Valley IA

Locating and enrolling in the right esthetician college is imperative to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to compile all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A good start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the institution and program you select are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Pleasant Valley IA.