How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Oswego NY

How to Find the Right Esthetician Course near Oswego New York

Oswego NY esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Oswego NY, the process starts to find and enroll in the right program. It’s essential that the school you select not only furnishes the appropriate education for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be a little bit confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a bit more concerning that in the next segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Oswego residence. Tuition will also be an important aspect when evaluating possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the best choice. There are various other qualifications that you should weigh when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are offered.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Oswego NY Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more attractive with the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic can be almost anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you go through some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Oswego NY beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many titles 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 earlier stated, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees

Oswego NY esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two pathways available 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 typically require 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 main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you wish to focus on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Oswego NY business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you opt for, it’s essential to make sure that it’s approved by the New York Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming segment.

Online Esthetician Courses

woman attending esthetician school online in Oswego NY Online esthetician classes are convenient for Oswego NY students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of online beauty school programs offered that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are frequently fast paced because many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not spending many hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it’s essential that the program you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Trade Schools

Oswego NY 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 Oswego home, as well as the expense of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the esthetician training program 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 13126 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Oswego NY employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Oswego NY salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. Finally, check with the New York school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Some 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, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you select 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 dream is to launch a Oswego 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 ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Any Live Training Provided? Practicing and mastering esthetician skills and techniques requires lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty academy provides limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s imperative that she or he receives aid in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance maintain relationships with Oswego NY employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Many 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. Talk to a counselor and find out 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 offered to students too. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you determine what financial help may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Oswego NY?

Perhaps you live in the Oswego 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.

Oswego, New York

Oswego /ɒsˈwiːɡoʊ/ is a city in Oswego County, New York, United States. The population was 18,142 at the 2010 census. Oswego is located on Lake Ontario in north-central New York and promotes itself as "The Port City of Central New York". It is the county seat of Oswego County.

The city of Oswego is bordered by the towns of Oswego, Minetto, and Scriba to the west, south, and east, respectively, and by Lake Ontario to the north. Oswego Speedway is a nationally known automobile racing facility. The State University of New York at Oswego is located just outside the city on the lake. Oswego is the namesake for communities in Montana, Oregon, Illinois, and Kansas.

The British established a trading post in the area in 1722 and fortified it with a log palisade later called Fort Oswego, named after the native Iroquois place name "os-we-go" meaning "pouring out place"[4]. The first fortification on the site of the current Fort Ontario was built by the British in 1755 and called the "Fort of the Six Nations".

Choose the Right Esthetician School near Oswego NY

Choosing and enrolling in the right esthetician college is imperative to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain 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 employ that data to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the academy and program you decide on are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are ready to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Oswego NY.