How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Hartford MI

How to Find the Right Esthetician School near Hartford Michigan

Hartford MI esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Hartford MI, the task begins to locate and enroll in the ideal program. It’s imperative that the school you choose not only furnishes the necessary education for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may be rather confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll speak a bit further concerning that in the upcoming segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Hartford home. Tuition will additionally be an important factor when reviewing prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the right option. There are several other factors that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are offered.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Hartford MI Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human anatomy look more attractive with the use 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 almost anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want 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 settings include not only Hartford MI beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a customer base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional names and work in a wide range of specialties including:

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

As formerly mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetics Certificates and Degrees

Hartford MI esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two pathways offered to receive esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally take 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree ordinarily takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Hartford MI 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 program you decide on, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s approved by the Michigan Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming segment.

Online Esthetics Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Hartford MI Online esthetician programs are accommodating for Hartford MI students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of online beauty school programs offered that can be accessed through a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are frequently fast paced because many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you’re not spending numerous hours outside of your home or commuting to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the program you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Programs

Hartford MI models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you need to research for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Hartford home, in addition to the cost of tuition, will most likely be your primary 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 additional factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the esthetician college 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 measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 49057 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Hartford 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 Good Reputation? Every esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. 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 demanded. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Hartford MI salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. Finally, check with the Michigan 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, offering training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden 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 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 Hartford 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 pursuing will not provide the training you require.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for developing your skills. Therefore search for other schools that furnish 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 first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develop relationships with Hartford MI employers that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? Many esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and find out 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 fulfills all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you find out what financial aid may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Hartford MI?

Perhaps you live in the Hartford 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.

Hartford, Connecticut

Hartford is the capital city of Connecticut. It was the seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960. The city is nicknamed the "Insurance Capital of the World", as it hosts many insurance company headquarters and is the region's major industry. It is the core city in the Greater Hartford area of Connecticut. Census estimates since the 2010 United States Census have indicated that Hartford is the fourth-largest city in Connecticut, behind the coastal cities of Bridgeport, New Haven, and Stamford.[6]

Hartford was founded in 1635 and is among the oldest cities in the United States. It is home to the nation's oldest public art museum (Wadsworth Atheneum), the oldest publicly funded park (Bushnell Park), the oldest continuously published newspaper (the Hartford Courant), and the second-oldest secondary school (Hartford Public High School). It also is home to the Mark Twain House, where the author wrote his most famous works and raised his family, among other historically significant sites. Mark Twain wrote in 1868, "Of all the beautiful towns it has been my fortune to see this is the chief."

Hartford was the richest city in the United States for several decades following the American Civil War.[7] Today, it is one of the poorest cities in the nation, with 3 out of every 10 families living below the poverty threshold. In sharp contrast, the Greater Hartford metropolitan area is ranked 32nd of 318 metropolitan areas in total economic production and 8th out of 280 metropolitan statistical areas in per capita income.[8]

Find the Right Esthetician Program near Hartford MI

Choosing and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is important to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you choose are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, 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 choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are ready to start your career as a professional esthetician in Hartford MI.