How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Harrisburg NC

How to Find the Right Esthetics Training Program near Harrisburg North Carolina

Harrisburg NC esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Harrisburg NC, the task begins to find and enroll in the best program. It’s imperative that the school you choose not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you might be a little bit unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a bit further regarding that in the next section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Harrisburg home. Tuition will also be an important consideration when reviewing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not always the best option. There are many other factors that you should weigh 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 within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are available.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Harrisburg NC Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic can be almost anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you go through some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Harrisburg NC beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many professional names and are employed in a wide range of specializations including:

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

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

Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

Harrisburg NC esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two pathways available to receive esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually call for 12 to 18 months to finish, 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 prefer to focus on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Harrisburg NC business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you opt for, it’s important to make sure that it’s approved by the North Carolina 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 decide on in the upcoming segment.

Online Esthetician Programs

woman attending esthetician school online in Harrisburg NC Online esthetician schools are accommodating for Harrisburg NC students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are typically fast paced given that many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you’re not spending numerous hours away from your home or commuting to and from classes. However, it’s essential that the school you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills necessary 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.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Schools

Harrisburg NC models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you should research for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Harrisburg home, in addition to the expense of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt 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 consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have collected some of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the esthetician school you pick 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 28075 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Harrisburg NC 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? Any esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Harrisburg NC salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And finally, check with the North Carolina school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you pick a school that focuses on 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 dream is to start a Harrisburg NC beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and refining esthetician techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty program offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. So search for other schools that offer this type 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 offer assistance develop relationships with Harrisburg NC businesses that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are looking at 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 verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? The majority of esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Talk to 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 available to students also. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not drop it as an alternative until you find out what financial aid may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Harrisburg NC?

Perhaps you live in the Harrisburg 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.

Harrisburg, North Carolina

Harrisburg is located in southwestern Cabarrus County at 35°19′20″N 80°39′12″W / 35.32222°N 80.65333°W / 35.32222; -80.65333 (35.322295, -80.653331).[5] It is bordered to the north by Concord and to the west by Charlotte in Mecklenburg County.

North Carolina Highway 49 passes through the center of Harrisburg, leading northeast 57 miles (92 km) to Asheboro and southwest 13 miles (21 km) to the center of Charlotte. Charlotte Motor Speedway is 3 miles (5 km) north of the center of town, within the Concord city limits.

As of the United States Census Bureau estimate on July 1, 2017,[4] there were 15,728 people and 4,573 households in the town, with 3.16 persons per household. The population percent change between April 1, 2010 and July 1, 2017 was 17.9%. The racial makeup of the town was 72.2% White, 16.1% African American, 0.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 6.4% Asian, 3.3% Hispanic or Latino and 2.8% from two or more races. There were 926 Veterans.

Find the Right Esthetician Vocational School near Harrisburg NC

Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is important to get the appropriate 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 sure to collect all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, 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 right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Harrisburg NC.