How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Montague MA

How to Pick an Esthetics Training Program near Montague Massachusetts

Montague MA esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Montague MA, the task starts to find and enroll in the right program. It’s imperative that the school you pick not only furnishes the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you may be a little bit confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a bit more concerning that in the following segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Montague residence. Tuition will likewise be an important consideration when assessing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not always the right choice. There are many other factors that you should evaluate when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are available.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Montague MA Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more attractive with the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be almost anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you take some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Montague MA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a customer base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by 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 previously stated, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

Montague MA esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two options offered to get esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, 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 all of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you prefer to specialize in just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Montague MA business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you decide on, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s certified by the Massachusetts Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming segment.

Online Esthetician Courses

woman attending esthetician school online in Montague MA Online esthetician classes are accommodating for Montague MA students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be attended via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools are often fast paced given that many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, 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. On the other hand, it’s essential that the training program you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Programs

Montague MA models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a list of questions that you will want to research for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Montague home, in addition to the cost of tuition, will probably be your initial 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 initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have collected several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make sure 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in 01351 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Montague MA businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Montague MA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And last, check with the Massachusetts school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing 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 important that you choose a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your goal is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your vision is to launch a Montague MA 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 poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best option for acquiring your skills. Therefore look for other 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 important that he or she gets help in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish aid maintain relationships with Montague MA employers that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, 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 offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students as well. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you determine what financial aid may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Montague MA?

Perhaps you live in the Montague 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.

Montague, Massachusetts

The villages of Montague Center, Montague City, Lake Pleasant, Millers Falls, and Turners Falls are located in the town of Montague; Turners Falls, comprising over half the population of the town and its main business district, is generally used as a metonym for the entire town of Montague.

Originally inhabited by the Pocomtuc tribe, the area was known as Peskeompskut. Montague was first settled by Europeans in 1715 and was incorporated in 1754. The town has five villages within it: Montague Center, Montague City, Turners Falls, Millers Falls, and Lake Pleasant. The Turners Falls Canal through Montague was one of the first canals in the United States, and important in early transport along the Connecticut River,[citation needed] and Lake Pleasant was a prominent spiritualist campground. Turners Falls was a planned mill community (similar to but less successful than that at Lowell, Massachusetts) that developed when the canal was converted to use for power production rather than transportation in the mid 19th century. Between 1974 and 1980, the Montague Nuclear Power Plant was proposed for construction in the town. In October 2010, the village of Turners Falls hosted the 1st annual Franklin County Pumpkinfest, now known as The Great Falls Festival.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 31.5 square miles (81.5 km2), of which 30.2 square miles (78.1 km2) is land and 1.3 square miles (3.4 km2), or 4.14%, is water.[2] Bounded on the west by the Connecticut River, Montague is drained by the Millers River.

Choose the Right Esthetics Training Program near Montague MA

Choosing and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is imperative to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Make sure 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 beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the school and program you pick are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to start your career as a professional esthetician in Montague MA.