How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Bryantville MA

How to Select an Esthetician Training Program near Bryantville Massachusetts

Bryantville MA esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Bryantville MA, the task begins to search for and enroll in the best program. It’s essential that the school you select not only furnishes the appropriate training for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be a little bit unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a little bit more concerning that in the following section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Bryantville home. Tuition will additionally be an important consideration when reviewing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the best option. There are several other considerations that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review 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 programs are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Bryantville MA Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything 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 actually 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, almost all states require that you take some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Bryantville MA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a customer base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many names and are employed in a wide variety of specializations including:

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

As previously mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetics Certificates and Degrees

Bryantville MA esthetician client with face mask There are basically two pathways available to get esthetician training and a credential upon 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 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 major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you wish to concentrate on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also most likely incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Bryantville MA business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you decide on, it’s important to make certain that it’s approved by the Massachusetts Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the following section.

Online Esthetics Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Bryantville MA Online esthetician schools are accommodating for Bryantville MA students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are frequently fast paced since many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not spending numerous hours away from your home or commuting to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the training program you choose can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Schools

Bryantville MA models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a list of questions that you should look into for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Bryantville home, together with the price of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the esthetician school you select 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 meet their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in 02327 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Bryantville MA employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Bryantville MA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And finally, contact the Massachusetts school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing 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 typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you enroll in a school that specializes in 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 launch a Bryantville MA beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty program offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the best option for acquiring your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s essential that she or he receives aid in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide aid maintain relationships with Bryantville MA employers that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs 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 verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating 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 offered to students as well. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you learn what financial assistance may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Bryantville MA?

Perhaps you live in the Bryantville Massachusetts 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.

Pembroke, Massachusetts

The earliest European settlers were Robert Barker and Dolor Davis, who settled in the vicinity of Herring Brook in 1650. Up until that time, the Wampanoag and the Massachusett were the only residents, fishing and farming along the rivers; they called the area Mattakeesett, which means "place of much fish", because of the annual springtime run of herring in the local rivers. The land was part of the Major's Purchase, a large tract of lands bought from Josias Wampatuck of the Massachusetts by a group of English investors. The area was once a part of Duxbury, before incorporating as a separate town in 1712, and was ultimately named for the town of Pembroke, Wales, the name of Brookfield being rejected because it was already in use by the town in Worcester County that still bears this name.

Most notable of the town's resources are its water resources, which include the North River and Indian Head River; its ponds, Oldham, Furnace, Great Sandy Bottom, Little Sandy Bottom, and Stetson Ponds; and Silver Lake. The town's ponds, streams and marshes are the home of herring that were prized so much that in 1741, the town began regulating the taking and preservation of the fish. The herring are celebrated each year at the town's annual "Grande Old Fish Fry".[2]

The Pembroke Iron Works was established in 1720 and used iron dredged from the bottom of the ponds. Ice was cut from the ponds, stored in icehouses, and used in the summer months for food preservation. The ponds and streams also provided power for various mills, including grist, flour and sawmills. Later, shipbuilding and box manufacturing became important factors in the development of the town.[2]

Enroll in the Right Esthetician Training Program near Bryantville MA

Locating and enrolling in the right esthetician college is essential to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Don’t forget to consolidate all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the school and program you choose are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. Once 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 Bryantville MA.