How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Mount Holly NC

How to Find the Right Esthetics College near Mount Holly North Carolina

Mount Holly NC esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Mount Holly NC, the task begins to find and enroll in the right program. It’s important that the program you select not only provides the appropriate training for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be rather unclear 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 discuss a bit further regarding 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 Mount Holly home. Tuition will also be a critical factor when reviewing prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the best option. There are a number of other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are offered.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Mount Holly NC Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you undergo some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Mount Holly NC beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many names 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 already stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain 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, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees

Mount Holly NC esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two options offered to receive 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 typically call for 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 instructed in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you want to concentrate 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 operate a parlor or other Mount Holly NC business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you decide on, it’s important to make sure that it’s approved by the North Carolina Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming section.

Online Esthetics Schools

woman attending esthetician school online in Mount Holly NC Online esthetician classes are advantageous for Mount Holly NC students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are many online cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are often fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not spending numerous hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it’s essential that the training program you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Programs

Mount Holly NC models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you need to research for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Mount Holly home, in addition to the cost of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options 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 put together several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the esthetician training program you pick 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 28120 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Mount Holly NC businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Mount Holly NC salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to propose others that you had not considered. Finally, check with the North Carolina school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of 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, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you pick a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your goal 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 launch a Mount Holly NC beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.

Is Any Live Training Provided? Learning and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. So try to find alternate schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s imperative that she or he receives help in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance develop relationships with Mount Holly NC employers that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Almost all esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing 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 meets all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not omit it as an alternative until you find out what financial help may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Mount Holly NC?

Perhaps you live in the Mount Holly 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.

Mount Holly, North Carolina

Mount Holly is a small suburban city in northeastern Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. The city is situated just west of the Catawba River, north of Interstate 85, south of North Carolina State Highway 16, and west of Charlotte. The population was 13,656 at the 2010 census,[4] up from 9,618 at the 2000 census.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 10.0 square miles (25.9 km2), of which 9.8 square miles (25.4 km2) is land and 0.19 square miles (0.5 km2), or 1.98%, is water.[4]

Land grants were first issued in the Mount Holly area by King George II of Great Britain around 1750. In 1754, a land grant was issued to James Kuykendall of Holland in the locale known as Dutchman's Creek. Later in 1838, a post office in the area was named Woodlawn. In 1875, the name of the town was changed to Mount Holly, after the Mount Holly Cotton Mill that was started that year. The name "Mount Holly" was used in recognition of the famed yarn made at a spinning mill in Mount Holly, New Jersey.

Select the Right Esthetician Program near Mount Holly NC

Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is essential to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A good start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the institution and program you decide on are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to start your career as a professional esthetician in Mount Holly NC.