How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Athens OH

How to Pick an Esthetician Program near Athens Ohio

Athens OH esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Athens OH, the task begins to search for and enroll in the right program. It’s important that the school you pick not only furnishes the necessary training for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be rather puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a little bit more concerning that in the following section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Athens residence. Tuition will additionally be an important consideration when assessing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the right choice. There are a number of other considerations that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are offered.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Athens OH 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 numerous cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic can be anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states mandate that you take some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Athens OH beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a client base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by 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 already mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees and Certificates

Athens OH esthetician client with face mask There are basically two pathways available to get esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally require 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 major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you wish to focus on 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 Athens OH business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you go with, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s approved by the Ohio Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following section.

Online Esthetics Courses

woman attending esthetician school online in Athens OH Online esthetician programs are advantageous for Athens OH students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based beauty school programs available that can be accessed through 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 brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the school you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. 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 Esthetics Programs

Athens OH models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you should look into for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Athens home, in addition to the price of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue 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 initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the esthetician school you enroll in 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in 45701 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Athens OH businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good 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 regarded. Check rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Athens OH salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. Finally, contact the Ohio school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you select a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your objective is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your desire is to open a Athens OH 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 weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Enough Live Training Provided? Studying and refining esthetician skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty academy offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for developing your skills. So try to find alternate schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s essential that he or she gets assistance in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develop relationships with Athens OH businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Most esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might 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 each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an alternative before you find out what financial assistance may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Athens OH?

Perhaps you live in the Athens Ohio 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.

Athens, Ohio

Athens is a city in and the county seat of Athens County, Ohio, United States. Athens is most widely known as the home of Ohio University, a large public research university with an enrollment of more than 36,800 students across all campuses. Located along the Hocking River in the southeastern part of Ohio about 65 miles (105 km) southeast of Columbus, Athens is the principal city of the Athens, Ohio Micropolitan Statistical Area. The official population of Athens in the 2010 U.S. Census was 23,832, with a daytime population of over 40,000 [6]

Athens is located in what was once the eastern region of two major Native American mound-building groups, the Adena culture from c. 1000 BC to 200 AD and the Ohio Hopewell tradition, c. 300 BC to 700 AD.[8][9] By the middle of the eighteenth century, the Shawnee, an Algonquian tribe, were the primary tribe of Native Americans living in what would become Athens County. According to a 1794 map by Thomas Kitchin, no settlement existed in the Athens area during the time immediately prior to the founding of the city.[10]

The first permanent European settlers arrived in Athens in 1797, more than a decade after the United States victory in the American Revolutionary War. In 1800, the town site was first surveyed and plotted, but it was not incorporated as a village until 1811. In the meantime, Ohio had become a state in 1803. Ohio University was chartered in 1804, the first public institution of higher learning in the Northwest Territory. Previously part of Washington County, Ohio, Athens County was formed in 1805, named for the ancient center of learning, Athens, Greece. Ohio University in Athens was established with the first federal endowment of an educational institution in the United States. In July 1787, the Congress of the Confederation gave to the Ohio Company of Associates "two townships of good land for the support of a literary institution" in the newly created Northwest Territory.[11] During The First Session of the Second Territorial General Assembly, held in Chillicothe from November 23, 1801 to January 23, 1802, the General Assembly passed an act establishing the "American Western University" at Athens. The act was approved by Arthur St. Clair, Governor of the Northwest Territory on January 9, 1802.[12] However, no university with the name of American Western University would be established. Ohio became a state in 1803 and on February 18, 1804, the state legislature passed an act establishing the "Ohio University" in the town of Athens.[13] Athens received city status in 1912, following the 1910 census showing the population had passed 5,000 residents, the requirement for city status in Ohio.

Find the Right Esthetician School near Athens OH

Selecting and enrolling in the right esthetician college is imperative to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Don’t forget to organize all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the academy and program you pick are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Athens OH.