How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Afton MN

How to Select an Esthetics Course near Afton Minnesota

Afton MN esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Afton MN, the process begins to find and enroll in the right program. It’s essential that the program you select not only provides the proper training for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you might be rather confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a bit further concerning that in the next section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Afton residence. Tuition will additionally be a critical consideration when reviewing potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the ideal option. There are various other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are offered.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Afton MN Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more beautiful through the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you take some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Afton MN beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a client base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many names and are employed in a wide range of specialties including:

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

As earlier stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetics Certificates and Degrees

Afton MN esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two options 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 usually 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 instructed in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you want to specialize in just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Afton MN business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you opt for, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s certified by the Minnesota Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming section.

Online Esthetician Programs

woman attending esthetician school online in Afton MN Online esthetician classes are convenient for Afton MN students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools are typically fast paced given that many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it’s vital that the training program you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Trade Schools

Afton MN models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a list of questions that you need to research for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Afton residence, in addition to the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish 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 even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the esthetician college you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged 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 assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 55001 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Afton MN employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every esthetician institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements 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 sought after. Check rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Afton MN salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And finally, check with the Minnesota school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently 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 respected for that program. If your desire is to start a Afton MN beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician skills and techniques demands lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty school furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. So try to find alternate schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s imperative that she or he gets support in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance maintain relationships with Afton MN employers that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, find out 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 Aid Available? Many esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and find out 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 offered to students too. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an alternative before you learn what financial assistance may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Afton MN?

Perhaps you live in the Afton Minnesota 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.

Afton, Minnesota

Afton is a city in Washington County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 2,886 at the 2010 census.[6] It is located on a small bay where Valley Creek empties into the St. Croix River several miles north of the confluence with the Mississippi River.

Afton is well known for Afton Alps, the largest ski and snowboard area in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. It is also home to Afton State Park, a popular park on the St. Croix River. Due to these two destinations and the quaint small-town appearance in a major metropolitan area, Afton receives a fair amount of local tourism in the form of day trips. Jessica Diggins, 2018 U.S. Winter Olympic Gold Medalist cross country skier, hails from Afton.

Afton was platted in 1855, and named for the poem Sweet Afton by Robert Burns.[7] A post office has been in operation at Afton since 1857.[8] The city contains three properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places: the 1856 Erastus Bolles House, the 1864 Newington Gilbert House, and the 1867 Cushing Hotel.[9]

Find the Right Esthetician School near Afton MN

Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is important to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Make certain to collect all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you pick are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are prepared to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Afton MN.