How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Pinetops NC

How to Pick an Esthetician Training Program near Pinetops North Carolina

Pinetops NC esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Pinetops NC, the process begins to find and enroll in the ideal program. It’s important that the school you choose not only furnishes the necessary training for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you may be a little bit puzzled about the contrast 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 more about that in the upcoming segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Pinetops home. Tuition will also be an important consideration when evaluating potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the best option. There are various other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are offered.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Pinetops NC Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more attractive with the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you go through some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Pinetops 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, open their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by 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 earlier mentioned, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

Pinetops NC esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two avenues available to obtain 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 take 12 to 18 months to finish, 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 available if you want to concentrate on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Pinetops NC business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you go with, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s certified by the North Carolina Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the next segment.

Online Esthetician Training

woman attending esthetician school online in Pinetops NC Online esthetician classes are accommodating for Pinetops NC students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous online beauty school programs available that can be accessed through a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not spending many hours away from your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the training program you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Trade Schools

Pinetops NC models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Pinetops residence, in addition to the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the esthetician college you select 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 meet their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in 27864 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Pinetops NC businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Pinetops NC salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. Finally, contact the North Carolina school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing 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 commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you pick a school that focuses on 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 vision is to launch a Pinetops NC beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician skills and techniques demands lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty academy furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. So search for alternate schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s imperative that he or she receives support in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide aid develop relationships with Pinetops NC employers that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Almost all esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Consult 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 available to students too. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an alternative until you determine what financial assistance may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Pinetops NC?

Perhaps you live in the Pinetops 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.

Pinetops, North Carolina

As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 1,419 people, 557 households, and 391 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,415.0 people per square mile (547.9/km²). There were 602 housing units at an average density of 600.3 per square mile (232.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 42.21% White, 57.15% African American, 0.07% Native American, 0.21% from other races, and 0.35% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.34% of the population.

Located in the heart of eastern North Carolina; Pinetops is on the Raleigh-Greenville Corridor, located centrally between Greenville, Wilson and Rocky Mount. Pinetops offers a wonderful quality of life, with a three campus school system, a variety of businesses, heart warming churches and friendly people.

There were 557 households out of which 29.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.4% were married couples living together, 22.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.8% were non-families. 27.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.07.

Find the Right Esthetics Training Program near Pinetops NC

Finding and enrolling in the right esthetician program is important to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you select are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Pinetops NC.