How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Colfax LA

How to Find the Right Esthetics Course near Colfax Louisiana

Colfax LA esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Colfax LA, the task starts to locate and enroll in the ideal program. It’s essential that the school you choose not only provides the necessary training for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you might be rather confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll speak a little bit more concerning that in the upcoming section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Colfax home. Tuition will additionally be an important factor when evaluating prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the best choice. There are many other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are available.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Colfax LA Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more attractive through the application 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 word cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you undergo some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Colfax LA 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, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many names 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 already mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees and Certificates

Colfax LA esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two avenues available to receive 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 take 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 each of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Colfax LA business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you go with, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s recognized by the Louisiana Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the following segment.

Online Esthetics Training

woman attending esthetician school online in Colfax LA Online esthetician schools are convenient for Colfax LA students who are working full time and have family commitments that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online beauty school programs available that can be attended by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are often fast paced since many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours away from your home or driving to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the program you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills required 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.

What to Ask Esthetics Trade Schools

Colfax LA models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a list of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Colfax residence, in addition to the cost of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional 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 each school before making a final decision.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the esthetician college 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 ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in 71417 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 Colfax LA businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Colfax LA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. Finally, consult the Louisiana school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you enroll in 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 aspiration is to start a Colfax LA 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 seeking will not provide the training you need.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Practicing and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty program furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. So look for alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s important that he or she gets assistance in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with Colfax LA employers that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? The majority of esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and learn 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 also. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an option until you learn what financial aid may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Colfax LA?

Perhaps you live in the Colfax Louisiana 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.

Colfax, Louisiana

Colfax is a town in, and the parish seat of, Grant Parish, Louisiana, United States,[5] founded in 1869. Colfax is part of the Alexandria, Louisiana metropolitan area. The largely African American population of Colfax counted 1,558 at the 2010 census.[6]

Colfax was settled by European Americans as a Red River port within Rapides Parish. It is named for the vice president of the United States, Schuyler M. Colfax, who served in the first term of U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant, for whom the parish is named. Prior to the Civil War, it was known as "Calhoun's Landing", named for the cotton and sugar planter Meredith Calhoun, a native of South Carolina. who published the former National Democrat newspaper in Colfax.[7]

During the Reconstruction Era, Colfax was the scene of the Colfax massacre on Easter, April 13, 1873. Some three white attackers and about 150 African Americans were killed in one of the most egregious acts of terrorism during Reconstruction.[8] A white militia was led against freedmen by Christopher Columbus Nash, elected sheriff on a Fusionist/Democratic slate. Freedmen were defending Republican officials at the county courthouse and had gathered there as tensions rose in a post-election dispute. A contemporary report by the U.S. military documented the three white fatalities and 105 black victims by name, with 15-20 unidentified blacks found in the Red River.[9][10] Because of the disproportionate number of deaths between whites and blacks, and documented accounts that at least 50 black prisoners were executed while under control of the white militia, 20th-century historians redefined the "riot" as a "massacre". The event is significant because blacks, who comprised the majority in the county, organized to defend themselves and their political rights.

Find the Right Esthetician College near Colfax LA

Choosing and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is important to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the academy and program you decide on are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are qualified to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Colfax LA.