How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Bellaire MI

How to Choose an Esthetician Course near Bellaire Michigan

Bellaire MI esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Bellaire MI, the process begins to find and enroll in the best program. It’s essential that the school you pick not only provides the proper training for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you might be a little bit confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a little bit further about that in the following section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Bellaire residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical aspect when reviewing possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the right option. There are various other considerations that you should weigh when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are offered.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Bellaire MI Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more attractive through the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you go through some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Bellaire MI beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a customer base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many professional names and work in a wide range of specializations including:

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

As already stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees and Certificates

Bellaire MI esthetician client with face mask There are basically two avenues available 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 call for 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 each of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you prefer to focus on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Bellaire MI business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you opt for, it’s important to make certain that it’s approved by the Michigan Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next segment.

Online Esthetician Training

woman attending esthetician school online in Bellaire MI Online esthetician schools are accommodating for Bellaire MI students who are working full time and have family commitments that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed through a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools are typically fast paced given that many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting many hours away from your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the program you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Training Courses

Bellaire MI models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you need to research for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Bellaire home, in addition to the cost of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the esthetician school you enroll in 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 comply with their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 49615 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Bellaire MI businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any esthetician institute that you are seriously considering 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 businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Bellaire MI salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. Finally, contact the Michigan school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing 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 often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you pick 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 well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to start a Bellaire MI beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.

Is Enough Live Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty program provides limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on utilizing mannequins, it may 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? When a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s imperative that she or he gets assistance in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develop relationships with Bellaire MI businesses that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments 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 regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Many esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students as well. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you determine what financial aid may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Bellaire MI?

Perhaps you live in the Bellaire Michigan 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.

Bellaire, Michigan

Bellaire is a village in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,086 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Antrim County.[6] The town has a very scenic main street, and is a popular location for tourists. Bellaire is also home to the Antrim County Courthouse, a historic structure built in 1905. The Antrim Review, the county's newspaper of record, is headquartered in Bellaire.

The Bellaire post office opened under the name Keno on June 20, 1879 and changed to Bellaire on May 26, 1880.[7] Also, in 1880, Bellaire became the county seat of Antrim County, a position that Elk Rapids had previously had. The Chicago & West Michigan Railroad built a depot in Bellaire in 1891, and the East Jordan & Southern Railroad built another line into the town in 1901. For years, Bellaire was a major railroad center in Antrim County, so the town attracted many industrial corporations. For example, the wooden bowl company (which made wooded utensils) built a factory in Bellaire because of the ease of transportation. Bellaire remained a transportation center until 1962, when the East Jordan and Southern abandoned their trackage through Bellaire, and the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway (which was using the former Chicago and West Michigan line) followed suit in 1982. Bellaire is home to the Short's Brewing Company.

The village is located on the boundary between Forest Home Township on the west and Kearney Township on the east, separated by the Intermediate River with the larger portion within Kearney Township. The Bellaire ZIP code, 49615, serves large portions of both townships, as well as portions of Central Lake Township to the north, Chestonia Township to the east, Custer Township to the south, and Helena Township to the southwest.[8]

Pick the Right Esthetician Vocational School near Bellaire MI

Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is essential to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you decide on are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are ready to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Bellaire MI.