How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Pittsburg KS

How to Pick an Esthetician Program near Pittsburg Kansas

Pittsburg KS esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Pittsburg KS, the task begins to locate and enroll in the right program. It’s important that the school you choose not only provides the necessary instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be rather confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll speak a bit more about that in the following section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Pittsburg residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical consideration when evaluating prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the ideal choice. There are various other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are offered.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Pittsburg KS 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 many cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic can be anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states mandate that you take some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Pittsburg KS beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a customer base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles and are employed in a wide range of specialties including:

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

As already mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In some 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, such as shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetics Certificates and Degrees

Pittsburg KS esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two options offered to receive esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically 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 prefer to concentrate on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Pittsburg KS business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you opt for, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s certified by the Kansas 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 review the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following segment.

Online Esthetics Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Pittsburg KS Online esthetician schools are convenient for Pittsburg KS students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs offered that can be accessed through a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are often fast paced since many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable 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 driving back and forth from classes. However, it’s essential that the training program you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure 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 necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Schools

Pittsburg KS models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you should investigate for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Pittsburg residence, together with the price of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have collected some of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the School 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 agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 66762 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Pittsburg KS employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Pittsburg KS salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. Finally, consult the Kansas school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in total 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 specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically 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 ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your aspiration is to start a Pittsburg KS 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 weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.

Is Any Live Training Provided? Studying and mastering esthetician skills and techniques requires lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty academy provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on using mannequins, it may not be the best option for cultivating your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s essential that he or she gets support in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide assistance maintain relationships with Pittsburg KS businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, 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? Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Consult 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 as well. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an option until you find out what financial aid may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Pittsburg KS?

Perhaps you live in the Pittsburg Kansas 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.

Pittsburg, Kansas

Pittsburg is a city in Crawford County, Kansas, United States,[1] located in Southeast Kansas near the Missouri state border. It is the most populous city in Crawford County and southeast Kansas. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 20,233.[7]

On October 23, 1864, a wagon train of refugees had come from Fort Smith, Arkansas, and was escorted by troops from the 6th Kansas Cavalry under the command of Col. William Campbell. These were local men from Cherokee, Crawford, and Bourbon counties. Their enlistment was over, and they were on their way to Fort Leavenworth to be dismissed from service. They ran into the 1st Indian Brigade led by Maj. Andrew Jackson Piercy near the current Pittsburg Waste Water Treatment Plant. They continued to the north when a small group of wagons broke away in an unsuccessful rush to safety. The Confederate troops caught up with them and burned the wagons. The death toll was three Union soldiers and 13 civilian men who had been with the wagon train. It was likely that one of the Confederates had also been killed. A granite marker memorial for the "Cow Creek Skirmish" was placed near the Crawford County Historical Museum on October 30, 2011.[8]

Pittsburg sprang up in the fall of 1876 on a railroad line being built through the neighborhood.[9] It was named after Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,[10] and maps of the time give the town's name as "New Pittsburgh". George Hobson and Franklin Playter are credited with being the city's founders, establishing a government after its beginnings as a coal mining camp in the 1870s. The city was incorporated in 1879.[11] The “New” was dropped upon incorporation of the City as a third class city on June 21, 1880, with M. M. Snow as its first Mayor. In 1892 it was advanced to a city of the second class, in 1905 Pittsburg attained the rank of first class.

Pick the Right Esthetics School near Pittsburg KS

Finding and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is important to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to collect all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the academy and program you select are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are ready to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Pittsburg KS.