How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Santa Fe NM

How to Select an Esthetics Training Program near Santa Fe New Mexico

Santa Fe NM esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Santa Fe NM, the task starts to locate and enroll in the right program. It’s imperative that the school you select not only provides the proper training for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you might be somewhat unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll speak a bit more about 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 Santa Fe home. Tuition will likewise be an important aspect when reviewing potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the ideal choice. There are several other qualifications 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 thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are available.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Santa Fe NM Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be almost anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you undergo some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Santa Fe NM beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a customer base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing 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 formerly stated, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees

Santa Fe NM esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two pathways available to obtain 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 typically 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 all of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you want to concentrate on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Santa Fe NM business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you go with, it’s essential to make certain that it’s approved by the New Mexico Board of Cosmetology. Many states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming segment.

Online Esthetics Courses

woman attending esthetician school online in Santa Fe NM Online esthetician programs are advantageous for Santa Fe NM students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online beauty school programs available that can be accessed by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools are often fast paced since many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you’re not spending numerous hours away from your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the program you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Schools

Santa Fe NM models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you should investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Santa Fe residence, in addition to the expense of tuition, will probably 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 options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have put together some of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the esthetician training program you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized 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 ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 87501 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Santa Fe NM employers will not recruit 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 profession. 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 services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Santa Fe NM salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. And last, contact the New Mexico school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential 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 well regarded for that program. If your dream is to open a Santa Fe NM beauty salon, then you want 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 Plenty of Live Training Provided? Studying and refining esthetician techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s important that he or she gets assistance in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with Santa Fe NM businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and identify 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 available to students as well. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an alternative until you determine what financial help may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Santa Fe NM?

Perhaps you live in the Santa Fe 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.

Santa Fe, New Mexico

Santa Fe (/ˌsæntəˈfeɪ/ or /ˈsæntəˌfeɪ/; Tewa: Oghá P’o'oge, Navajo: Yootó) is the capital of the U.S. state of New Mexico. It is the fourth-largest city in the state and the seat of Santa Fe County.

This area was occupied for at least several thousand years by indigenous peoples who built villages several hundred years ago, on the current site of the city. It was known by the Tewa inhabitants as Ogha Po'oge ("White Shell Water Place").[4] The city of Santa Fe, founded by Spanish colonists in 1610, is the oldest state capital in the United States. Santa Fe (meaning "holy faith" in Spanish) had a population of 69,204 in 2012. It is the principal city of a Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Santa Fe County and is part of the larger Albuquerque–Santa Fe–Las Vegas combined statistical area. The city's full name as founded remains La Villa Real de la Santa Fe de San Francisco de Asís ("The Royal Town of the Holy Faith of Saint Francis of Assisi").[5][6]

The area of Santa Fe was originally occupied by indigenous Tanoan peoples, who lived in numerous Pueblo villages along the Rio Grande. One of the earliest known settlements in what today is downtown Santa Fe came sometime after 900 CE. A group of native Tewa built a cluster of homes that centered around the site of today's Plaza and spread for half a mile to the south and west; the village was called Oghá P’o'oge in Tewa[7] The Tanoans and other Pueblo peoples settled along the Santa Fe River for its water and transportation.

Pick the Right Esthetics Vocational School near Santa Fe NM

Locating and enrolling in the right esthetician college is essential to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Don’t forget to collect all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you choose are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to start your career as a professional esthetician in Santa Fe NM.