How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Gibsonville NC

How to Pick an Esthetician Program near Gibsonville North Carolina

Gibsonville NC esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Gibsonville NC, the process starts to locate and enroll in the best program. It’s important that the school you select not only provides the necessary instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be somewhat 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 speak a bit more 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 Gibsonville residence. Tuition will also be a critical consideration when assessing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the right option. There are a number of other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are offered.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Gibsonville NC Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more attractive with the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of 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 appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you take some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Gibsonville NC beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a client base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many names and are employed in a wide variety of specializations including:

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

As earlier mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, for example 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 and Certificates

Gibsonville NC esthetician client with face mask There are basically two options offered to get esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally require 12 to 18 months to complete, 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 major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you prefer to focus on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Gibsonville NC business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you choose, it’s important to make sure that it’s recognized by the North Carolina Board of Cosmetology. Many states only approve schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next segment.

Online Esthetician Courses

woman attending esthetician school online in Gibsonville NC Online esthetician schools are convenient for Gibsonville NC students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are often fast paced since many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting numerous hours away from your home or travelling to and from classes. However, it’s vital that the program you choose can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Schools

Gibsonville NC models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you should look into for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Gibsonville home, in addition to the price of tuition, will probably be your primary 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 options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the esthetician school you choose 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 comply with their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 27249 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Gibsonville NC businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Gibsonville NC salon owners or managers, or any person 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. And finally, check with the North Carolina school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive 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 expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you pick a school that focuses on 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 open a Gibsonville NC beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Practicing and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities demands lots 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 site that allow students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. Therefore look for other schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s crucial that she or he receives assistance in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develop relationships with Gibsonville NC employers that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? Many esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may qualify 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 satisfies each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you learn what financial assistance may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Gibsonville NC?

Perhaps you live in the Gibsonville North Carolina 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.

Gibsonville, North Carolina

Gibsonville (“City of Roses”) is a city in both Alamance County and Guilford County, North Carolina. Most of Gibsonville is situated in the Greensboro-Winston-Salem-High Point Combined Statistical Area and the eastern portion is in the Burlington, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area,[4] encompassing all of Alamance County. According to the 2010 Census, the population of Gibsonville was 6,410.[5]

Not until Joseph Gibson (1785-1857), whose father established farming and gold mining operations there as early as 1775[6] was a local farmer, providing grading services in 1851 for the newly formed North Carolina Railroad (NCRR) Company. Shortly afterwards Gibsonville began to emerge as a commerce center.

The first train arrived on October 9, 1855, and the depot was named Gibson Station in his honor. On February 18, 1871, the state legislature issued a charter officially establishing the Town of Gibsonville.[7]

Find the Right Esthetics School near Gibsonville NC

Choosing and enrolling in the right esthetician program is imperative to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to compile all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the school and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are ready to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Gibsonville NC.