How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Highland Park MI

How to Enroll In an Esthetician College near Highland Park Michigan

Highland Park MI esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Highland Park MI, the process starts to search for and enroll in the best program. It’s essential that the program you select not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be somewhat confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a bit further regarding that in the next segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Highland Park home. Tuition will likewise be a critical factor when evaluating possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the ideal option. There are many other factors that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are offered.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Highland Park MI Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful with 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 term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic can be anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you undergo some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Highland Park MI beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many names and are employed 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 most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees

Highland Park MI esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two avenues offered to get esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally call for 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 instructed in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also probably include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Highland Park MI business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you decide on, it’s essential to make sure that it’s recognized by the Michigan Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following section.

Online Esthetician Schools

woman attending esthetician school online in Highland Park MI Online esthetician programs are accommodating for Highland Park MI students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are many web-based beauty school programs available that can be attended via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are often fast paced given that many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not devoting many hours away from your home or driving to and from classes. However, it’s imperative that the training program you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Training Courses

Highland Park MI models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you need to look into for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Highland Park home, in addition to the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn 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 additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together some of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the esthetician training program you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified 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 ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 48203 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Highland Park MI businesses will not hire 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 institute that you are seriously evaluating 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 referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Highland Park MI salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And finally, check with 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 Focus? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering 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 imperative that you choose 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 vision is to open a Highland Park MI beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.

Is Any Live Training Provided? Practicing and refining esthetician techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty academy offers limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. Therefore search for other schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s important that she or he receives assistance in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develop relationships with Highland Park MI employers that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Many esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students as well. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not drop it as an alternative until you determine what financial help may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Highland Park MI?

Perhaps you live in the Highland Park 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.

Highland Park, Michigan

Highland Park is a city in Wayne County in the State of Michigan, within Metro Detroit. The population was 11,776 at the 2010 census. The city is completely surrounded by Detroit except for a small portion that touches the city of Hamtramck, which is also surrounded by Detroit.

The area that was to become Highland Park began as a small farming community, on a large ridge located at what is now Woodward Avenue and Highland, six miles (9.7 km) north of Detroit. In 1818, prominent Detroit judge Augustus B. Woodward bought the ridge, and platted the village of Woodwardville in 1825. The development of the village failed. Another Detroit judge, Benjamin F. H. Witherell, son of Michigan Supreme Court justice James Witherell, attempted to found a village platted as Cassandra on this site in 1836, but this plan also failed.[5]

By 1860, the settlement was given a post office under the name of Whitewood. After a succession of closures and reopenings of the rural post office, the settlement was finally incorporated as a village within Greenfield Township and Hamtramck Township under the name of Highland Park in 1889.[6]

Pick the Right Esthetician College near Highland Park MI

Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician program is essential to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Don’t forget to collect all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you choose are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are qualified to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Highland Park MI.