How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Lake Odessa MI

How to Enroll In an Esthetician Course near Lake Odessa Michigan

Lake Odessa MI esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Lake Odessa MI, the process begins to search for and enroll in the ideal program. It’s essential that the program you select not only provides the proper education for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be rather puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a bit further about that in the next segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Lake Odessa home. Tuition will also be a critical consideration when assessing possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the best choice. There are a number of other factors that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are available.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Lake Odessa MI Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you go through some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Lake Odessa MI beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a clientele, establish 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 have many titles 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 formerly stated, in the majority of states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees

Lake Odessa MI esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two avenues offered to obtain 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 typically require 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 instructed in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you wish to specialize in just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Lake Odessa MI business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you choose, it’s important to make certain that it’s certified by the Michigan Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the following segment.

Online Esthetics Training

woman attending esthetician school online in Lake Odessa MI Online esthetician classes are convenient for Lake Odessa MI students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based beauty school programs available that can be attended by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are often fast paced since many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you’re not spending many hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the program you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Schools

Lake Odessa MI models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a list of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Lake Odessa home, together with the cost of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the esthetician school you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 48849 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 Lake Odessa MI businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Lake Odessa MI salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. Finally, contact the Michigan school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential 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 respected for that program. If your aspiration is to open a Lake Odessa MI beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school provides limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on using mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. So look for alternate schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s crucial that he or she gets help in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with Lake Odessa MI employers that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm 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. Check if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and identify 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 available to students as well. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an option before you determine what financial assistance may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Lake Odessa MI?

Perhaps you live in the Lake Odessa 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.

Lake Odessa, Michigan

Lake Odessa is a village in Ionia County of the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,018 at the 2010 census. It is located in the southern portion of the county in Odessa Township on the northeast shore of Jordan Lake, which is the boundary with Barry County.

Several brothers in the Russell family began settling here around 1839 and it became known as the "Russell Settlement". It later became known as "Bonanza" and a Post Office with that name was established in 1880. When the Detroit, Lansing and Northern Railroad (later the Pere Marquette Railroad) was built through the area in the 1880s, the village was moved about a mile southwest. At that time the name was changed to "Lake Odessa", derived from the nearby Jordan Lake and the name of Odessa Township, which had been established in 1846. The township had been named for the city of Odessa in Ukraine,[6][7] reflecting an interest of one of the founders in Ukraine as well as a desire for a distinctive name. Investor Humphrey Wager purchased 80 acres (320,000 m2) of farmland on Jordan Lake and platted the village in 1887. With the advantage of a station on the new railroad, the new village quickly eclipsed the former settlement at Bonanza. The village incorporated in 1889. John R. Waite, a local man with an interest in history, has been credited with significant historical research for the village of Lake Odessa. John is also recognized as the President of the Lake Odessa Area Historical Society and is involved with the Train Depot Museum.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 0.89 square miles (2.31 km2), all land.[1] Lake Odessa, along with neighboring Woodland, Sunfield and Clarksville, make up the Lakewood Public School district.

Find the Right Esthetician College near Lake Odessa MI

Locating and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is imperative to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to organize all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you select are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions supplied in this article, 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 begin your career as a professional esthetician in Lake Odessa MI.