How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Pineville NC

How to Pick an Esthetics College near Pineville North Carolina

Pineville NC esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Pineville NC, the process begins to find and enroll in the ideal program. It’s important that the school you select not only provides the proper instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you might be rather confused about the difference 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 segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Pineville residence. Tuition will also be a critical consideration when reviewing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not always the right option. There are several other factors that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are offered.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Pineville NC Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more attractive through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you take some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Pineville NC beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many names 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 already stated, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees and Certificates

Pineville NC esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two options offered to receive esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally 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 each of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you wish to concentrate on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Pineville NC business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you go with, it’s essential to make sure that it’s recognized by the North Carolina Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only certify schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following segment.

Online Esthetician Courses

woman attending esthetician school online in Pineville NC Online esthetician programs are convenient for Pineville NC students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of online beauty school programs offered that can be accessed through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are often fast paced since many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not spending numerous hours away from your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the training program you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Programs

Pineville NC models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you need to research for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Pineville home, as well as the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have put together several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the esthetician college you enroll in 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 measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 28134 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Pineville NC businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Pineville NC salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. Finally, check with the North Carolina school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you decide on a school that specializes in 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 well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to start a Pineville 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 ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Practicing and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty school furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best option for acquiring your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s important that she or he gets assistance in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help develop relationships with Pineville NC businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Talk to 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 available to students as well. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not discard it as an option before you learn what financial assistance may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Pineville NC?

Perhaps you live in the Pineville 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.

Pineville, North Carolina

Pineville (/ˈpiːnvɪl/; locally /ˈpiːnvəl/) is a suburban town in the southernmost portion of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina situated in the Waxhaws district between Charlotte, North Carolina and Fort Mill, South Carolina.

Pineville was changed forever when the initial segment of Interstate 485 opened to traffic. Although the one-mile (1.6 km) stretch connecting interchanges at NC Highway 51 and South Boulevard was designed to divert through traffic around Charlotte via a freeway loop, I-485 incidentally passed directly through Pineville.

In the years to follow, largely undeveloped land adjacent to Pineville's two I-485 interchanges exploded into what is now the largest shopping district in North Carolina. With nearly 8,000,000 square feet (743,000 m2) of retail space, Pineville is home to the 1,100,000-square-foot (100,000 m2) Carolina Place Mall, at least two power centres and many strip malls, outparcels and free-standing retailers.

Pick the Right Esthetics College near Pineville NC

Choosing and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is important to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to compile all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the school and program you choose are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are ready to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Pineville NC.