How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Petoskey MI

How to Pick an Esthetician School near Petoskey Michigan

Petoskey MI esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Petoskey MI, the task begins to find and enroll in the best program. It’s essential that the program you select not only provides the necessary training for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you might be a little bit confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a little bit more regarding that in the next section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Petoskey home. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when assessing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the best choice. There are various other qualifications that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are available.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Petoskey MI Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more attractive through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many 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 anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you take some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Petoskey MI beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own residences or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles and are employed in a wide variety of specialties including:

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

As earlier stated, in the majority of 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, which include shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

Petoskey 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 pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically call for 12 to 18 months to complete, 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 major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you wish to focus on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Petoskey MI business. More advanced 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 go with, it’s important to make sure that it’s certified by the Michigan Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the following segment.

Online Esthetician Schools

woman attending esthetician school online in Petoskey MI Online esthetician schools are accommodating for Petoskey MI students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be attended by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are often fast paced because many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not devoting numerous hours away from your home or commuting to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the training program you choose can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Degree Programs

Petoskey MI models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you should look into for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Petoskey home, in addition to the cost of tuition, will most likely be your first 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 options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make certain that the esthetician college you pick 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 measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 49770 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Petoskey MI employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. 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, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Petoskey MI salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And last, consult the Michigan school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating 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 essential that you enroll in a school that specializes in 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 desire is to launch a Petoskey MI beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.

Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician skills and techniques requires lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty program offers limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. So look for other schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s important that she or he receives aid in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer aid maintain relationships with Petoskey MI employers that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Many esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Talk to 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 accessible to students too. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you determine what financial help may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Petoskey MI?

Perhaps you live in the Petoskey 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.

Petoskey, Michigan

Petoskey is a city and coastal resort community in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was estimated at approximately close to 5,670 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Emmet County.[8]

The Little Traverse Bay area was long inhabited by indigenous peoples, including the Odawa people. The name "Petoskey" is said to mean "where the light shines through the clouds" in the language of the Odawa. However it is more likely that the town was named for the Joseph Petoskey family of Poland. The original Petoskey family posterity still reside in the town. Yet the romantic myth that the town was named for the Odawa chief is good for tourism. After the 1836 Treaty of Washington, Odawa Chief Ignatius Petosega (1787–1885) took the opportunity to purchase lands near the Bear River. Petosega's father was Antoine Carre, a French Canadian fur trader and his mother was Odawa.[10]

By the 1850s, several religious groups had established missions near the Little Traverse Bay. A Mormon offshoot had been based at Beaver Island, the Jesuit missionaries had been based at L'arbor Croche and Michilimackinac, with a Catholic presence in Harbor Springs, then known as "Little Traverse".[11] Andrew Porter, a Presbyterian missionary, arrived at the village of Bear River (as it was then called) in 1852.[12][13]

Select the Right Esthetician School near Petoskey MI

Locating and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is important to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Don’t forget to organize all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the school and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Petoskey MI.