How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Greenwood SC

How to Enroll In an Esthetician Training Program near Greenwood South Carolina

Greenwood SC esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Greenwood SC, the process starts to find and enroll in the best program. It’s essential that the school you select not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you may be somewhat unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll speak a bit more regarding that in the following section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Greenwood residence. Tuition will also be an important factor when reviewing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not always the right choice. There are various other qualifications that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for instance 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 bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are available.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Greenwood SC Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you undergo some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Greenwood SC beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a clientele, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many professional names and are employed in a wide range of specialties including:

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

As earlier mentioned, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, such as 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 Degrees and Certificates

Greenwood SC esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two options offered to get 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 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 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 feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Greenwood SC business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you choose, it’s essential to make certain that it’s approved by the South Carolina Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the following segment.

Online Esthetician Schools

woman attending esthetician school online in Greenwood SC Online esthetician programs are advantageous for Greenwood SC students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are typically fast paced due to the fact 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 internet programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not spending many hours outside of your home or travelling to and from classes. However, it’s vital that the program you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills required 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 available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Training Programs

Greenwood SC 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 Greenwood home, in addition to the expense of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the esthetician college you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 29646 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Greenwood SC businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Greenwood SC salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. Finally, contact the South Carolina school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted 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, 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 expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you pick 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 respected for that program. If your vision is to start a Greenwood SC beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Studying and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques demands lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty program provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s crucial that he or she gets aid in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide aid develop relationships with Greenwood SC businesses that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid 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. Consult with a counselor and identify 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 accessible to students also. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an alternative until you determine what financial assistance may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Greenwood SC?

Perhaps you live in the Greenwood 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.

Greenwood County, South Carolina

The rise of textile manufacturing in the New South altered the economy and society of the region. The first cotton mill in Greenwood opened in 1890 with 75 workers. When it nearly failed in 1908, James C. Self became president of Greenwood Cotton Mill and built one of the largest privately-held companies in the industry. Abney Mills, based in Greenwood, spread its production plants across the upstate.

Greenwood County was formed in 1897 from portions of Abbeville and Edgefield counties, which had originally been part of the old Ninety-Six District. It was named for its county seat, Greenwood. This had been named around 1824 after a plantation owned by John McGehee, an early resident. The area was developed largely for cotton plantations and was dependent on slave labor. It has continued to be agricultural in the 21st century.

The Great Depression altered the economy and landscape of Greenwood County. Farmers were impoverished, land values declined, local textile mills struggled to survive and to resist union efforts to organize the workers. After 1933, New Deal programs offered limited work relief for the unemployed. The largest New Deal project in the area was construction of Buzzard's Roost Dam on the Saluda River to impound Lake Greenwood and generate electricity in a county-owned power plant. Today the hydroelectric plant has been sold to Duke Power Company while the lake offers an array of recreational facilities.

Select the Right Esthetics Vocational School near Greenwood SC

Choosing and enrolling in the right esthetician program is essential to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be 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 information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the academy and program you decide on are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to start your career as a professional esthetician in Greenwood SC.