How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Spruce Pine NC

How to Select an Esthetician Program near Spruce Pine North Carolina

Spruce Pine NC esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Spruce Pine NC, the process starts to locate and enroll in the right program. It’s imperative that the school you pick not only furnishes the necessary education for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be a little bit confused 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 type of school. We’ll speak a bit further concerning that in the upcoming section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Spruce Pine residence. Tuition will likewise be an important factor when assessing prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the right option. There are various other qualifications that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are offered.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Spruce Pine NC Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic can be anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you go through some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Spruce Pine 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 clients either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have 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 already stated, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

Spruce Pine NC esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two avenues available to receive esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward 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 instructed in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you prefer to specialize in just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Spruce Pine NC business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you decide on, 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 cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the next section.

Online Esthetician Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Spruce Pine NC Online esthetician schools are convenient for Spruce Pine NC students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a desktop 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 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the school you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also obtain 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 area of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Degree Programs

Spruce Pine NC models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Spruce Pine residence, in addition to the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled some of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the esthetician college you pick 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 28777 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Spruce Pine NC employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Spruce Pine NC salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And finally, consult the North Carolina school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed 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, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you enroll in 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 open a Spruce Pine NC beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.

Is Enough 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 cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty academy furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s crucial that he or she gets aid in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide aid develop relationships with Spruce Pine NC employers that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, 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 Aid Available? Many esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Consult with 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 offered to students also. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not drop it as an alternative until you learn what financial assistance may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Spruce Pine NC?

Perhaps you live in the Spruce Pine 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.

Spruce Pine, North Carolina

Spruce Pine was founded in 1907 when the Clinchfield Railroad made its way up the North Toe River from Erwin, Tennessee. The town was originally centered around a tavern operated by Isaac English, located on an old roadway that ran from Cranberry, North Carolina down to Marion, NC. The Old English Inn still stands at its original location near the center of town. In 1923, after an escaped convict allegedly raped a local resident, a large armed mob rounded up scores of African Americans who were laboring on a road construction project and forced them to leave town on boxcars. North Carolina Governor Cameron Morrison deployed National Guard troops to Spruce Pine so that the workers could return and complete the road.[4]

The railroad, combined with a rapidly expanding mining industry (the town is the namesake of the famous Spruce Pine Mining District) made Spruce Pine the largest town in the Toe River Valley, as it became the hub of commerce and culture for the area. Spruce Pine was the home of The Feldspar Company and Spruce Pine Mica, and other major mining interests had operations in and around the town.

With the decline in use of railroads to ship goods, along with increasing automation in the mining industry, the town has recently seen its fortunes dwindle and has undertaken a major effort to reinvent itself. Tourism has become a major economic force in the region, and the town's proximity to the Blue Ridge Parkway, combined with its location near the edge of the Blue Ridge Escarpment has helped make Spruce Pine a travel destination for many. The town also boasts the moniker of "The Mineral City of the World"

Select the Right Esthetician College near Spruce Pine NC

Finding and enrolling in the right esthetician college is important to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Don’t forget to collect all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the institution and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are ready to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Spruce Pine NC.