How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Georgetown SC

How to Choose an Esthetician Program near Georgetown South Carolina

Georgetown SC esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Georgetown SC, the task starts to search for and enroll in the best program. It’s essential that the program you pick not only furnishes the necessary training for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be somewhat unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a little bit further about that in the next segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Georgetown home. Tuition will additionally be an important consideration when reviewing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the ideal choice. There are a number of other considerations that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Georgetown SC 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 a number of cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be almost anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you take some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Georgetown SC beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many professional names and work in a wide range of specialties including:

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

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

Esthetics Degrees

Georgetown SC esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two pathways offered to receive esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually take 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you prefer to focus on just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also probably include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Georgetown SC business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you opt for, it’s essential to make certain that it’s recognized by the South Carolina Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the next section.

Online Esthetics Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Georgetown SC Online esthetician classes are accommodating for Georgetown SC students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs offered that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are typically fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as short as six or eight 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 travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the program you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Schools

Georgetown SC models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a list of questions that you need to look into for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Georgetown home, together with the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have put together several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the esthetician training program 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 29440 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Georgetown SC businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Georgetown SC salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. And finally, consult the South Carolina 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 Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you decide on a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your intention 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 launch a Georgetown SC beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and refining esthetician skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school offers limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. So try to find alternate schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s essential that she or he receives assistance in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with Georgetown SC employers that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Almost all esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. 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 accessible to students too. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you find out what financial assistance may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Georgetown SC?

Perhaps you live in the Georgetown South 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.

Georgetown, South Carolina

Georgetown is the third oldest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina and the county seat of Georgetown County, in the Lowcountry.[3] As of the 2010 census it had a population of 9,163.[4] Located on Winyah Bay at the confluence of the Black, Great Pee Dee, Waccamaw, and Sampit rivers, Georgetown is the second largest seaport in South Carolina, handling over 960,000 tons of materials a year.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.5 square miles (19.5 km2), of which 6.9 square miles (17.9 km2) are land and 0.62 square miles (1.6 km2), or 8.06%, is water.[4]

Winyah Bay was formed from a submergent or drowned coastline. The original rivers had a lower baseline, but either the ocean rose or the land sank, flooding the river valleys and making a good location for a harbor.

Choose the Right Esthetics Vocational School near Georgetown SC

Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is essential to get the proper 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 consolidate all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the school and program you pick are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Georgetown SC.