How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Queensbury NY

How to Find the Right Esthetician Training Program near Queensbury New York

Queensbury NY esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Queensbury NY, the task begins to find and enroll in the best program. It’s important that the school you choose not only furnishes the necessary training for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be rather unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a little bit further about that in the next section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Queensbury home. Tuition will likewise be a critical factor when evaluating prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the best choice. There are a number of other considerations that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over 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 offered.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Queensbury NY Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic can be anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you go through some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Queensbury NY 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, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own residences or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many titles and work in a wide variety of specialties including:

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

As previously stated, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees

Queensbury NY esthetician client with face mask There are basically two avenues offered to obtain esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, 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 instructed in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you want to focus on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Queensbury NY business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you decide on, it’s essential to make certain that it’s recognized by the New York Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming section.

Online Esthetician Courses

woman attending esthetician school online in Queensbury NY Online esthetician programs are convenient for Queensbury NY students who are employed full-time and have family commitments that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous online beauty school programs available that can be attended through a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are typically fast paced because many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it’s imperative that the school you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills needed to work in any facet 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.

What to Ask Esthetician Degree Programs

Queensbury NY models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you should investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Queensbury home, as well as the cost of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want 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 program. Below we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make sure 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 organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 12804 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Queensbury NY employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. 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, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Queensbury NY salon owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. Finally, check with the New York school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you select a school that specializes in 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 well regarded for that program. If your desire is to start a Queensbury NY beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty program offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s imperative that she or he gets support in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance maintain relationships with Queensbury NY businesses that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. 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 offered to students too. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an alternative until you find out what financial help may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Queensbury NY?

Perhaps you live in the Queensbury 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.

Queensbury, New York

It contains the county seat of Warren County, located at a municipal center complex on U.S. Route 9 south of the village of Lake George.[7] It was moved to the complex in 1963 from the original county seat of Lake George.[8] The town is located in the southeastern corner of the county and is part of the Glens Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area.[9] It is named in honor of Queen Charlotte, the consort of George III of Great Britain and Ireland.[10] Although primarily located north of the city of Glens Falls, Queensbury surrounds the city on three sides.[11]

Major efforts at settlement began with the Queensbury Patent in 1762, which enticed Quaker settlers to move into the area known as the "Township of Queensbury" the next year. The Quakers left during the Revolutionary War and returned in 1783 when hostilities ended in the area.[12]

In 1786, the town was re-established as the town of Queensbury. In 1788, the town included all of what is today Warren County. It lost territory in 1792 when the town of Fairfield (Lake Luzerne) was formed and again in 1810 to form part of the town of Caldwell (Lake George). In 1908, the then largest village within Queensbury, Glens Falls, incorporated as a city and became a separate municipality.[12][13] The population of Queensbury has exceeded that of Glens Falls since the 1980 Census.[14]

Enroll in the Right Esthetician Training Program near Queensbury NY

Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is important to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Don’t forget to organize all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the academy and program you decide on are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to start your career as a professional esthetician in Queensbury NY.