How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Irvington NJ

How to Select an Esthetics Program near Irvington New Jersey

Irvington NJ esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Irvington NJ, the process starts to search for and enroll in the right program. It’s important that the school you choose not only furnishes the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you might be a little bit confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a little bit further about that in the next segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Irvington residence. Tuition will additionally be a critical consideration when evaluating prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the ideal choice. There are a number of other factors that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are available.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Irvington NJ Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be almost anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you undergo some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Irvington NJ beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a customer base, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have 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 already mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees and Certificates

Irvington NJ esthetician client with face mask There are basically two avenues offered to get esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally call for 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 trained in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you prefer to specialize in just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Irvington NJ business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you decide on, it’s essential to make certain that it’s certified by the New Jersey Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next section.

Online Esthetics Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Irvington NJ Online esthetician schools are convenient for Irvington NJ students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are many web-based beauty school programs available that can be accessed through a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are typically fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you’re not spending many hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the school you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget 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

Irvington NJ models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you will want to research for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Irvington home, in addition to the cost of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn 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 initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the esthetician school you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 07111 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Irvington NJ employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every esthetician institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. 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, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Irvington NJ salon owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And finally, consult the New Jersey school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are broad 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 typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you enroll in 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 aspiration is to start a Irvington NJ beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished 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 school offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the best option for cultivating your skills. So look for alternate schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s essential that she or he gets support in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide aid maintain relationships with Irvington NJ employers that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Many esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students too. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not discard it as an alternative until you learn what financial help may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Irvington NJ?

Perhaps you live in the Irvington New Jersey 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.

Irvington, New Jersey

Irvington is a township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township had a total population of 53,926,[10][11][12] having declined by 6,769 (−11.2%) from the 60,695 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn declined by 323 (−0.5%) from the 61,018 counted in the 1990 Census.[21]

Clinton Township, which included what is now Irvington, Maplewood and parts of Newark and South Orange, was created on April 14, 1834.[22] The area was known as Camptown until the mid-1800s. In 1850, after Stephen Foster published his ballad, Camptown Races, residents were concerned that the activities described in the song would be associated with their community. The town was renamed, Irvingtown, in honor of Washington Irving.[23][24][25]

Irvington was incorporated as an independent village on March 27, 1874, from portions of Clinton Township.[23] What remained of Clinton Township was absorbed into Newark on March 5, 1902.[22] On March 2, 1898, Irvington was incorporated as a Town, replacing Irvington Village.[22] In 1982, the town was one of four Essex County municipalities to pass a referendum to become a township, joining 11 municipalities that had already made the change, of what would ultimately be more than a dozen Essex County municipalities to reclassify themselves as townships in order take advantage of federal revenue sharing policies that allocated townships a greater share of government aid to municipalities on a per capita basis.[26][27][28][29]

Select the Right Esthetician Training Program near Irvington NJ

Choosing and enrolling in the right esthetician school is important to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Make certain to organize all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the academy and program you pick are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Irvington NJ.