How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Corvallis OR

How to Pick an Esthetician College near Corvallis Oregon

Corvallis OR 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 Corvallis OR, the task begins to find and enroll in the ideal program. It’s important that the school you pick not only provides the proper education for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be somewhat puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll speak a bit further regarding that in the upcoming segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Corvallis residence. Tuition will also be an important factor when assessing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not always the best choice. There are various other factors 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.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Corvallis OR Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you take some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Corvallis OR beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a customer base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many professional names and work in a wide variety of specialties including:

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

As previously mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees

Corvallis OR esthetician client with face mask There are basically two avenues available to obtain 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 generally take 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 each of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you want to focus on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also probably include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Corvallis OR 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 training program you opt for, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s approved by the Oregon Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the following segment.

Online Esthetician Schools

woman attending esthetician school online in Corvallis OR Online esthetician classes are advantageous for Corvallis OR students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs available that can be accessed by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are often fast paced given that many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the school you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Training Classes

Corvallis OR 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 in relation to your Corvallis residence, in addition to the cost 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 must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the esthetician training program you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 97330 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Corvallis OR employers will not employ 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 school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Corvallis OR salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. And last, check with the Oregon school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances 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 areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you decide on a school that focuses on 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 dream is to launch a Corvallis OR beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Studying and refining esthetician skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty school offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best option for developing your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s essential that he or she gets aid in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide assistance maintain relationships with Corvallis OR businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Many esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and learn 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 available to students as well. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not discard it as an alternative before you learn what financial aid may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Corvallis OR?

Perhaps you live in the Corvallis Oregon 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.

Corvallis, Oregon

Corvallis /kɔːrˈvælɪs/ is a city in central western Oregon, United States. It is the county seat of Benton County[6] and the principal city of the Corvallis, Oregon Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Benton County. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 54,462.[7] Its population was estimated by the Portland Research Center to be 55,298 in 2013.[4] Corvallis is the location of Oregon State University, a large Hewlett-Packard research campus, and Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center.

In October 1845, Joseph C. Avery arrived in Oregon from the east.[8] Avery took out a land claim at the mouth of Marys River where it flows into the Willamette River and in June 1846 took up residence there in a log cabin hastily constructed to hold what seemed a potentially lucrative claim.[8] Avery's primitive 1846 dwelling was the first home within the boundaries of today's Corvallis and his land claim included the southern section of the contemporary city.[9]

Avery was quickly joined by other settlers along the banks of the Willamette River, including a 640-acre claim directly to his north taken in September 1846 by William F. Dixon.[9] The discovery of gold in California in 1848 temporarily stalled development of a township, with Avery leaving his Oregon claim to try his hand at mining in the fall of that year.[9] His stay would prove to be brief and in January 1849 Avery returned to Oregon with a small stock of provisions with a view to opening a store.[9]

Select the Right Esthetician Vocational School near Corvallis OR

Choosing and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is imperative to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to organize all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the institution and program you decide on are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Corvallis OR.