How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Stevensville MT

How to Enroll In an Esthetician Training Program near Stevensville Montana

Stevensville MT esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Stevensville MT, the process starts to find and enroll in the best program. It’s important that the school you select not only provides the proper instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be rather puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a bit further regarding that in the next segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Stevensville home. Tuition will additionally be a critical aspect when assessing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the best option. There are a number of other considerations that you should evaluate when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are available.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Stevensville MT Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the use 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 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 undergo some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Stevensville MT beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many names and work in a wide range of specialties including:

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

As previously mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees

Stevensville MT esthetician client with face mask There are basically two avenues offered to receive 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 generally take 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you wish to focus on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Stevensville MT business. Higher 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 go with, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s approved by the Montana Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming segment.

Online Esthetics Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Stevensville MT Online esthetician programs are convenient for Stevensville MT students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are many online cosmetology school programs available that can be attended by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools are typically fast paced because many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting many hours away from your home or driving to and from classes. However, it’s essential that the training program you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Training Courses

Stevensville MT models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you need to research for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Stevensville home, in addition to the price of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional 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 selection.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the esthetician training program you choose 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 measure up to their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 59870 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Stevensville MT businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably 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 excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Stevensville MT salon owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And finally, check with the Montana school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you enroll in 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 aspiration is to open a Stevensville MT beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and mastering esthetician skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty academy 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. Therefore look for alternate schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s essential that she or he receives help in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with Stevensville MT employers that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? The majority of esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and learn 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 all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not drop it as an option until you learn what financial aid may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Stevensville MT?

Perhaps you live in the Stevensville Montana 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.

Stevensville, Montana

Stevensville is officially recognized as the first permanent settlement in the state of Montana. Forty-eight years before Montana became the nation's 41st state, Stevensville was settled by Jesuit Missionaries at the request of the Bitter Root Salish Amerindians.

Through interactions with Iroquois working in the fur trade between 1812 and 1820, the Bitter Root Salish learned about Christianity and Jesuit missionaries (the Blackrobes as they were called) that worked with Native Americans teaching about agriculture, medicine, and religion. Interest in these "blackrobes" grew among the Salish and, in 1831, four young Salish men were dispatched to St. Louis, Missouri to request a priest to return with them to their homeland of present-day Stevensville. The four Salish men were directed to the home and office of William Clark (of Lewis and Clark fame) to make their request. At that time Clark was in charge of administering the territory they called home. Through the perils of their trip two of the Salish died at the home of General Clark. The remaining two Salish men secured a visit with St. Louis Bishop Joseph Rosati who assured them that missionaries would be sent to the Bitter Root Valley when funds and missionaries were available in the future.

Again in 1835 and 1837 the Bitter Root Salish dispatched men to St. Louis to request missionaries but to no avail. Finally in 1839 a group of Iroquois and Salish met Father Pierre-Jean DeSmet in Council Bluffs. The meeting resulted in Fr. DeSmet promising to fulfill their request for a missionary the following year.

Pick the Right Esthetics Vocational School near Stevensville MT

Finding and enrolling in the right esthetician college is imperative to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Don’t forget to consolidate all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you choose are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to start your career as a professional esthetician in Stevensville MT.