How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Plainwell MI

How to Find the Right Esthetician School near Plainwell Michigan

Plainwell 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 Plainwell MI, the process starts to locate and enroll in the right program. It’s important that the school you pick not only provides the necessary education for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin 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 titles are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll speak a little bit further concerning that in the following section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Plainwell residence. Tuition will likewise be an important consideration when reviewing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not always the ideal choice. There are several other qualifications that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are available.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Plainwell MI Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more attractive with the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic can 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 settings include not only Plainwell MI beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by 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 mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees

Plainwell MI esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two pathways offered to receive esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally take 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you prefer to concentrate on 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 parlor or other Plainwell MI business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you choose, it’s important 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 examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following segment.

Online Esthetics Courses

woman attending esthetician school online in Plainwell MI Online esthetician schools are advantageous for Plainwell MI students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online beauty school programs available that can be accessed through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are often fast paced given that many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 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’re not spending numerous hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the school you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. 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 Training Programs

Plainwell MI models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you should research for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Plainwell residence, together with the cost of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have compiled some 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 certain that the esthetician training program you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in 49080 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Plainwell MI businesses will not employ 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 college that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Plainwell MI salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. Finally, consult the Michigan school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you select a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your intention 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 start a Plainwell MI beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques involves lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty school provides little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s crucial that he or she receives help in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with Plainwell MI employers that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Most esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students also. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an option before you find out what financial aid may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Plainwell MI?

Perhaps you live in the Plainwell 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.

Plainwell, Michigan

Plainwell is located on M-89 just east of its junction with US 131. The city of Otsego is about three miles (4.8 km) to the west. Kalamazoo is about ten miles (16 km) to the south and Grand Rapids about 35 miles (56 km) north. The Kalamazoo River flows through the center of the city.

This part of Michigan was settled in the 1830s, after the removal of native people. Allegan County was organized in 1835, and the Plainwell area was settled soon after. It was on a stagecoach route from Kalamazoo to Grand Rapids, and later the Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad was constructed along the same route. After the advent of the automobile, U.S. Route 131 was created and run through the town. In the 1960s, an improved 4-lane US-131 was built west of town to connect Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids, with an interchange on M-89 between Plainwell and Otsego. This allowed the town to become a kind of "bedroom community" for Kalamazoo or the southern part of Grand Rapids.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.06 square miles (5.34 km2), of which 1.98 square miles (5.13 km2) is land and 0.08 square miles (0.21 km2) is water.[1] The nickname Island City has to do with a power canal which diverts a portion of the Kalamazoo River around the downtown area, causing it to be an island.

Pick the Right Esthetics College near Plainwell MI

Picking and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is imperative to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Don’t forget to compile all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to start your career as a professional esthetician in Plainwell MI.