How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Los Alamos NM

How to Pick an Esthetician School near Los Alamos New Mexico

Los Alamos NM esthetician client with cucumber facialOnce you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Los Alamos NM, the task begins to search for and enroll in the ideal program. It’s essential that the program you pick not only furnishes the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be a little bit puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a bit more regarding that in the next section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Los Alamos home. Tuition will additionally be a critical aspect when reviewing possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the ideal option. There are several other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning 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 training programs are available.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Los Alamos NMCosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more attractive with the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states mandate that you take some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Los Alamos NM beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a client base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many names and are employed in a wide variety of specialties including:

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

As formerly mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, for example 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.

Esthetics Degrees and Certificates

Los Alamos NM esthetician client with face maskThere are basically two avenues offered to get esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally 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 trained in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you wish to focus on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Los Alamos NM 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 program you go with, it’s important to make sure that it’s approved by the New Mexico Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the next section.

Online Esthetics Training

woman attending esthetician school online in Los Alamos NMOnline esthetician classes are convenient for Los Alamos NM students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous online beauty school programs offered that can be accessed via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are often fast paced given that many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not spending numerous hours away from your home or commuting to and from classes. However, it’s important that the program you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Training Courses

Los Alamos NM models benefit from esthetic treatmentsBelow is a list of questions that you need to look into for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Los Alamos home, in addition to the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue 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 should research and consider 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 selection.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the esthetician school you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 87544 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 Los Alamos NM businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation?  Any esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Los Alamos NM salon owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And finally, consult the New Mexico school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus?  Many esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular 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 pick a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your vision is to launch a Los Alamos NM beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided?  Studying and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty academy provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for developing your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  Once a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s crucial that he or she gets help in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help develop relationships with Los Alamos NM businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Available?  The majority of esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and identify 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 fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not discard it as an option until you learn what financial help may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Los Alamos NM?

Perhaps you live in the Los Alamos New Mexico 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.

Los Alamos, New Mexico

Los Alamos (Spanish: Los Álamos, meaning "The Cottonwoods" or "The Poplars")[2] is a town in Los Alamos County, New Mexico, United States that is recognized as the birthplace of the atomic bomb––the primary objective of the Manhattan Project by Los Alamos National Laboratory during World War II. The town is located on four mesas of the Pajarito Plateau, and has a population of 12,019. It is the county seat and one of two population centers in the county known as census-designated places (CDPs); the other is White Rock.

Los Alamos is built on the Pajarito Plateau between White Rock Canyon and the Valles Caldera. The first settlers on the plateau are thought to be Keres speaking Native Americans around the 10th century. Around 1300, Tewa settlers immigrated from the Four Corners Region and built large cities but were driven out within 50 years by Navajo and Apache raids and by drought. Both the Keres and Tewa towns can be seen today in the ruins of Bandelier National Monument and Tsankawi.

The land of the plateau was then divided up for homesteading. Most residents of the plateau built simple log cabins that they only lived in during warm weather to feed livestock, with the homesteaders moving down to the warmer Rio Grande Valley. Homesteader Harold H. Brook sold part of his land and buildings to Detroit businessman Ashley Pond II in 1917 which began the Los Alamos Ranch School, named after the aspen trees that blossomed in the spring.

Choose the Right Esthetics Vocational School near Los Alamos NM

Selecting and enrolling in the right esthetician program is imperative to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to compile all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the academy and program you pick are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are ready to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Los Alamos NM.

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