How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Pikeville KY

How to Select an Esthetician Course near Pikeville Kentucky

Pikeville KY esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Pikeville KY, the task begins to locate and enroll in the right program. It’s imperative that the school you pick not only provides the necessary education for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be a little bit confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll talk a bit more regarding that in the next section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Pikeville home. Tuition will also be a critical factor when evaluating potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the right option. There are a number of other factors that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as 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 talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are offered.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Pikeville KY Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can 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 be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Pikeville KY beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many titles and are employed in a wide variety of specialties including:

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

As previously stated, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetics Certificates and Degrees

Pikeville KY esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two avenues offered to get esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually require 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 instructed in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you want to concentrate on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Pikeville KY business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you choose, it’s essential to make sure that it’s approved by the Kentucky Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the following segment.

Online Esthetician Courses

woman attending esthetician school online in Pikeville KY Online esthetician schools are advantageous for Pikeville KY students who are employed full-time and have family commitments that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are frequently fast paced since many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting many hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s important 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 difficult to obtain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Trade Schools

Pikeville KY models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you should look into for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Pikeville home, in addition to the cost 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 reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have put together several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the esthetician training program you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized 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 may also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 41501 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 Pikeville KY employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Pikeville KY salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. Finally, check with the Kentucky school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you choose a school that focuses on 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 vision is to start a Pikeville KY beauty salon, then you need 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 seeking will not deliver the training you need.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty academy provides little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. So try to find other schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s crucial that she or he gets help in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with Pikeville KY businesses that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, ask 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? Almost all esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might get approved 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 meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an alternative before you determine what financial assistance may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Pikeville KY?

Perhaps you live in the Pikeville Kentucky 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.

Pikeville, Kentucky

Pikeville (/ˈpaɪkvəl/) is a city in and the county seat of Pike County, Kentucky, United States.[3] During the 2010 U.S. Census, the population within Pikeville's city limits was 6,903. In Kentucky's current city classification system, Pikeville is a home rule-class city, a category that includes all of the state's more than 400 cities except for the two largest, Louisville and Lexington.[4]

On March 25, 1822, state officials decided to build a new county seat named "Liberty", 1.5 miles (2.4 km) below the mouth of the Russell Fork River. Public disapproval of the site[why?] led a new decision on December 24, 1823, to establish the county seat on land donated by local farmer Elijah Adkins.[5] This settlement was established as the town of Pike after the county in 1824.[1] This was changed in 1829 to Piketon[5] and the town was incorporated under that name in 1848.[1] In 1850, this was changed to the present Pikeville. Pikeville was host to a part of the Hatfield-McCoy feud, and patriarch Randall McCoy as well as his wife and daughter are buried on a hillside overlooking the town.[5][6][7]

From 1973 to 1987, the Pikeville Cut-Through was constructed immediately west of downtown. The massive rock cut is one of the largest civil engineering projects in the western hemisphere, moving nearly 18,000,000 cubic yards (14,000,000 m3) of soil and rock.[10] The project alleviated traffic congestion in downtown and eliminated flooding by rerouting the Levisa Fork River.

Select the Right Esthetician College near Pikeville KY

Choosing and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is imperative to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to collect all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented 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 examination, you will be self-assured that you are ready to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Pikeville KY.