How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Rochester NY

How to Find the Right Esthetician School near Rochester New York

Rochester NY esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Rochester NY, the process starts to locate and enroll in the best program. It’s essential that the school you pick not only provides the appropriate training for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may be rather unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a bit more regarding that in the following section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Rochester home. Tuition will likewise be a critical consideration when evaluating potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not always the right option. There are many other factors that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are offered.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Rochester NY Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic can be anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you undergo some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Rochester NY beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a customer base, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles 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 previously mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

Rochester NY esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two options offered to receive esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically take 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 instructed in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you wish to specialize in just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Rochester NY business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you opt for, it’s important to make certain that it’s recognized by the New York Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming section.

Online Esthetician Training

woman attending esthetician school online in Rochester NY Online esthetician programs are convenient for Rochester NY students who are working full-time and have family commitments that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be attended by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are often fast paced given that many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you’re not devoting many hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Trade Schools

Rochester NY models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Rochester home, together with the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want 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 initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the esthetician training program you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 14601 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Rochester NY businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each esthetician institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Rochester NY salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. Finally, check with the New York school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Many 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, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you choose a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your desire is to start a Rochester NY beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty program offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best option for acquiring your skills. So try to find other schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s imperative that he or she receives support in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide assistance maintain relationships with Rochester NY businesses that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? Almost all esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students too. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not drop it as an option before you find out what financial aid may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Rochester NY?

Perhaps you live in the Rochester 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.

Rochester, New York

Rochester (/ˈrɒtʃɪstər, -ɛs-/) is a city on the southern shore of Lake Ontario in western New York. With a population of 208,046 residents, Rochester is the seat of Monroe County and the third most populous city in New York state, after New York City and Buffalo. The metropolitan area has a population of just over 1 million people.

Rochester was America's first boomtown, initially due to the fertile Genesee River Valley, which gave rise to numerous flour mills, and then as a manufacturing hub.[4] Several of the region's universities (notably the University of Rochester and Rochester Institute of Technology) have renowned research programs. Rochester is the site of many important inventions and innovations in consumer products. The Rochester area has been the birthplace to Kodak, Western Union, French's, Bausch & Lomb, Gleason and Xerox, which conduct extensive research and manufacturing of industrial and consumer products. Until 2010, the Rochester metropolitan area was the second-largest regional economy in New York State, after the New York City metropolitan area.[5] Rochester's GMP has since ranked just below Buffalo, New York, while exceeding it in per-capita income.[6]

The 25th edition of the Places Rated Almanac rated Rochester as the "most livable city" in 2007, among 379 U.S. metropolitan areas.[7] In 2010 Forbes rated Rochester as the third-best place to raise a family in the United States.[8] In 2012 Kiplinger rated Rochester as the fifth-best city in the United States for families, citing low cost of living, top public schools, and a low jobless rate.[9]

Pick the Right Esthetics Program near Rochester NY

Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician school is imperative to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Don’t forget 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 start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the institution and program you select are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you begin 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 selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are prepared to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Rochester NY.