How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Southington OH

How to Select an Esthetics School near Southington Ohio

Southington OH esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Southington OH, the process starts to find and enroll in the ideal program. It’s imperative that the school you choose not only provides the proper education for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you might be rather puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a little bit further about that in the next section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Southington residence. Tuition will also be an important consideration when evaluating prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the ideal option. There are many other factors that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for instance 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 bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are offered.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Southington OH Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more attractive with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be anything that improves 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 type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Southington OH beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many names and work in a wide variety of specializations including:

Estheticians
Hairdressers
Hairstylists
Beauticians
Barbers
Manicurists
Nail Technicians
Makeup Artists
Hair Coloring Specialists
Electrolysis Technicians

As earlier stated, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees and Certificates

Southington OH esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two options 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 typically call for 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you want to focus on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also most likely incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Southington OH 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 decide on, it’s essential to make sure that it’s recognized by the Ohio Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming segment.

Online Esthetics Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Southington OH Online esthetician classes are advantageous for Southington OH students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs available that can be attended by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are typically fast paced given that many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you’re not spending numerous hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the training program you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. 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

Southington OH models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a list of questions that you should look into for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Southington residence, as well as the price of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have put together some of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential 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 assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 44470 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Southington OH employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Southington OH salon owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. And finally, contact the Ohio 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 Focus? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you decide on a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your vision is to start a Southington OH beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a poor 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 people. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty academy offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. So search for other schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s important that she or he receives assistance in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with Southington OH employers that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Consult 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 accessible to students also. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not discard it as an option until you determine what financial help may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Southington OH?

Perhaps you live in the Southington 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.

Southington, Ohio

Southington is an unincorporated community in central Southington Township, Trumbull County, Ohio, United States. Although it is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of 44470.[1] It lies at the intersection of U.S. Route 422 with State Route 305.

Pick the Right Esthetics Program near Southington OH

Finding and enrolling in the right esthetician school is essential to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to compile all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you pick are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are ready to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Southington OH.