How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Lakeville MN

How to Pick an Esthetician Program near Lakeville Minnesota

Lakeville MN esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Lakeville MN, the process starts to locate and enroll in the ideal program. It’s important that the program you select not only furnishes the proper instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. 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 names are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a little bit more concerning that in the upcoming segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Lakeville home. Tuition will likewise be a critical factor when evaluating possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the ideal choice. There are many other qualifications that you should weigh when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are available.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Lakeville MN Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you take some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Lakeville MN 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 begin servicing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many professional names and are employed in a wide range of specializations including:

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

As earlier mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees and Certificates

Lakeville MN esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two options available to obtain esthetician training and a credential after 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 finish, while an Associate’s degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you wish to specialize in just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Lakeville MN business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you decide on, it’s essential to make certain that it’s certified by the Minnesota Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following section.

Online Esthetician Programs

woman attending esthetician school online in Lakeville MN Online esthetician programs are accommodating for Lakeville MN students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs available that can be attended through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are typically fast paced since many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting many hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the school you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Schools

Lakeville MN models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Lakeville home, together with the expense of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably 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 put together several of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the esthetician training program you select 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 55044 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Lakeville MN employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Lakeville MN salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. And finally, consult the Minnesota school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you select a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your goal is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your dream is to start a Lakeville MN beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician skills and techniques involves lots of practice on volunteers. 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 allow students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best option for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s essential that she or he gets aid in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develop relationships with Lakeville MN employers that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Almost all esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and learn 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 also. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not omit it as an alternative before you find out what financial assistance may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Lakeville MN?

Perhaps you live in the Lakeville 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.

Lakeville, Minnesota

Lakeville /ˈleɪkvɪl/ is a city in Dakota County, Minnesota, United States. It is a suburb of Minneapolis-Saint Paul, approximately 20 miles (32 km) south of both downtown Minneapolis and downtown St. Paul.[5] Lakeville is one of the fastest-growing cities in the Twin Cities area.[6] The U.S. Census Bureau recorded its population at 55,954 in 2010.[7][8]

Lakeville lies along Interstate Highway 35. Lakeville first became notable in 1910 when Marion Savage built the Dan Patch Railroad Line to service his Antlers Amusement Park.[9] It later became a flourishing milling center; its agriculture industry is still in operation. While many of Lakeville's workers commute northward to Minneapolis, Saint Paul, and more central suburbs like Bloomington, Lakeville has had major industry since the 1960s—including the Airlake Industrial Park, which is served by Airlake Airport, a regional reliever airport.

The Sioux people ceded most of southern Minnesota in the Treaty of Traverse des Sioux in 1851. A military road was constructed between Fort Snelling and the southern forts.[which?] In 1855, J.J. Brackett, a Saint Paul lumber baron and mail carrier using the road, decided to plat a site halfway between Saint Paul and Saint Peter on a lake he named Prairie Lake. The village was established as Lakeville Township in 1858.[10] Notoriety came when Colonel Marion Savage expanded his entertainment business into constructing Antlers Amusement Park in 1910. Riding on fame from his success with the Dan Patch racing horse and the popularity of the park, the lake was renamed Lake Marion, and the rail line servicing the park named the Dan Patch Railroad Line.[11]

Choose the Right Esthetician School near Lakeville MN

Picking and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is important to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the academy and program you decide on are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are prepared to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Lakeville MN.