How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Keene Valley NY

How to Choose an Esthetics Training Program near Keene Valley New York

Keene Valley NY esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Keene Valley NY, the task begins to search for and enroll in the right 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 examination. When you start your preliminary search, you might be a little bit puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a bit further regarding that in the next segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Keene Valley residence. Tuition will additionally be a critical consideration when assessing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the best choice. There are several other considerations that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are available.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Keene Valley NY Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be almost anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you undergo some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Keene Valley NY beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a client base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles and work in a wide variety of specializations including:

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

As formerly stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

Keene Valley NY esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two avenues available to get esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually call for 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree ordinarily takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you wish to specialize in just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Keene Valley NY business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you choose, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s certified by the New York Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the next section.

Online Esthetician Courses

woman attending esthetician school online in Keene Valley NY Online esthetician classes are advantageous for Keene Valley NY students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed through a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are frequently 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 spending numerous hours outside of your home or travelling to and from classes. However, it’s vital that the training program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Training Programs

Keene Valley NY models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you should research for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Keene Valley home, in addition to the expense of tuition, will most likely be your first 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 options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the esthetician school you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in 12943 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 Keene Valley NY businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Keene Valley NY salon owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. And finally, contact the New York school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often 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 intention 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 start a Keene Valley NY beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty program offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for developing your skills. So search for other schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s imperative that he or she receives support in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance maintain relationships with Keene Valley NY employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm 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. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students also. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you learn what financial assistance may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Keene Valley NY?

Perhaps you live in the Keene Valley New York 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.

Keene, New York

The town is part of the Adirondack Park, and includes 15 of the 46 High Peaks, including Mount Marcy, New York's highest mountain, and the rest of the Great Range. It also includes the Ausable Lakes, the source of the Ausable River. Trailheads for many of the High Peaks are located within the town, along with the Johns Brook Lodge of the Adirondack Mountain Club.

The earliest settlement in the present village of Keene Center was in 1787.[4]:20 The town of Keene was created from splitting parts of the towns of Jay and Elizabethtown on March 19, 1808. This originally included current North Elba, but that was split in 1849 from the original Keene. The area was made of a mountainous and rocky surface, with a low population due to the unstable soil in the region. A nearby highway was extended to Keene Center via the towns of Lewis and Jay, but it was deemed unusable due to the structure of the area. The town of Keene organized the first school district in the Adirondacks, which held its first recorded trustee meeting in 1813.[4]:32

The area had been a stronghold with the lumber and iron industries. However, exporting items made by these industries was difficult due to lack of transportation. By around 1820 sawmills, forges and gristmills were being built. The riverbed region of Keene sprouted the first community, and Keene Flats become another by 1840. In 1882, when the Adirondack Park was created as a state protected area, a privately tolled and maintained road to lower Ausable Lake was constructed.[5][6]

Choose the Right Esthetics Program near Keene Valley NY

Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is imperative to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to collect all of the information you receive from the cosmetology 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 college and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are prepared to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Keene Valley NY.