How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools South Lyon MI

How to Find the Right Esthetician College near South Lyon Michigan

South Lyon MI esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near South Lyon MI, the task starts to search for and enroll in the right program. It’s essential that the school you pick not only furnishes the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you might be rather unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll talk a bit more about that in the next section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your South Lyon home. Tuition will likewise be a critical factor when reviewing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the ideal choice. There are many other factors that you should evaluate when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners South Lyon MI Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more attractive through the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be 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 form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only South Lyon MI beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles and work in a wide variety of specializations including:

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

As earlier mentioned, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees

South Lyon MI esthetician client with face mask There are basically two pathways offered to obtain esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally take 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you want to concentrate on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other South Lyon MI business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you opt for, it’s essential to make sure that it’s approved by the Michigan Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming segment.

Online Esthetician Courses

woman attending esthetician school online in South Lyon MI Online esthetician programs are accommodating for South Lyon MI students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs offered that can be accessed via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools are typically fast paced given that many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not spending many hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the training program you select can provide internship training in area 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 required to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Training Programs

South Lyon MI models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your South Lyon home, together with the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the esthetician training program you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 48178 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous South Lyon MI employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with South Lyon MI salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. Finally, check with the Michigan school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you select a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your objective 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 aspiration is to launch a South Lyon 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 seeking will not deliver the training you need.

Is Enough Live Training Provided? Studying and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty academy offers little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for developing your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s crucial that he or she receives aid in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with South Lyon MI businesses that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? The majority of esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and learn 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 offered to students as well. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an option before you learn what financial assistance may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near South Lyon MI?

Perhaps you live in the South Lyon 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.

South Lyon, Michigan

South Lyon is a city in Southwestern Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan, in Metro Detroit. The population was 11,327 at the 2010 census.[6] The city is part of the South Lyon-Howell-Brighton Urban Area, which had a population of 106,139 according to the 2000 census. South Lyon is located in Oakland County's Lyon Township, near the Livingston County and Washtenaw County lines. The city is 19 miles (31 km) north of Ann Arbor, 45 miles (72 km) west of Detroit and 58 miles (93 km) east of Lansing.

South Lyon was founded in 1832 and was called Thompson's Corners. In the same year, the surrounding township was named Lyon for Lucius Lyon, a member of the State Legislature. The village was given a name for its location within the township. South Lyon was incorporated as a village in 1873 and as a city in 1930[7]

Three rail lines once passed through South Lyon. In the summer of 1871, the Detroit, Lansing and Northern was built west from Plymouth on the way to Lansing and Ionia. In 1880, the predessor to the Ann Arbor Railroad built a line into town from Ann Arbor. The goal of this line was to continue on towards Pontiac but that did not occur under the original owners. The line was pulled up around 1890. In 1883 the Grand Trunk built their Jackson Branch from Pontiac to Jackson, which crossed the Pere Marquette at South Lyon. The GTW branch line continued to serve South Lyon until the early 1980s. The branch line is now a paved bicycle trail through town and Reynold Sweet Parkway follows the original route. Today, South Lyon hosts the CSX main line from Detroit to Grand Rapids, and a passing track is located there.

Pick the Right Esthetics Training Program near South Lyon MI

Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is important to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to collect all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the school and program you choose are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in South Lyon MI.