How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Liberty SC

How to Pick an Esthetician School near Liberty South Carolina

Liberty SC esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Liberty SC, the task begins to locate and enroll in the right program. It’s essential that the school you choose not only furnishes the proper instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares 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 basically interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a bit more concerning that in the following section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Liberty residence. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when reviewing potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the best option. There are various other qualifications that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are available.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Liberty SC Cosmetology is a profession 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. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you take some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Liberty 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 begin servicing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known 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 earlier stated, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

Liberty SC esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two pathways 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 take 12 to 18 months to finish, 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 major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Liberty 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 program you decide on, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s approved by the South Carolina Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only certify schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming section.

Online Esthetician Schools

woman attending esthetician school online in Liberty SC Online esthetician schools are accommodating for Liberty SC students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are many online cosmetology school programs available that can be attended by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are often fast paced because many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting many hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it’s essential that the program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Training Programs

Liberty SC models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you will want to look into for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Liberty residence, together with the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary 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 need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have put together some of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 29657 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Liberty SC employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Liberty SC salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. Finally, consult the South Carolina school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed 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 particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you pick a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your goal is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your aspiration is to start a Liberty SC beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.

Is Enough Live Training Provided? Studying and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques involves lots of practice on people. 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 campus that allow students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on using mannequins, it might not be the best 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? When a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s essential that she or he gets assistance in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with Liberty SC employers that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations 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? Most esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students also. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not discard it as an alternative before you determine what financial assistance may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Liberty SC?

Perhaps you live in the Liberty 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.

Liberty, South Carolina

How exactly Liberty got its name has been a source of debate over the years. There are no real historical accounts of why Liberty was given the name it was. The most popular—though probably mythical—story regarding the reason the area was named Liberty was put forth by Mrs. Annie Craig in 1936: "At the close of the Revolutionary war a religious meeting was being held at a church close to a spring near the present town of Liberty when the word came that Cornwallis had surrendered and the colonies had gained their independence. This church was named Liberty and it and the spring were located just beyond where the cemetery is now located, hence the name Liberty."[3]

Some have claimed that Liberty was once named Salubrity Springs, but was renamed Liberty in the late 19th century. References to early land records, however, suggests that such is not the case. While there are many records that refer to the area as Liberty Spring, there are no private or legal documents that contain a reference to Salubrity Spring.[4] The first reference to Salubrity comes from the name of a farm purchased by the Rev. Allen Fuller, Universalist, in 1837. In 1839, Mr. Fuller set up a post office in his home, naming it Salubrity Post Office. This post office remained in operation until February, 1876, three years after the first official Liberty post office was established in 1873.[5] Once the town of Liberty was chartered little more than a month after the Salubrity post office closed, the name Salubrity became little more than a memory.

Liberty today sits on land that was once part of the Cherokee Indians' hunting ground. The Otarre, or Lower Hill Cherokees, had several thriving villages along the riverbanks in the area; perhaps the most notable example being the village of Keowee, located near the modern day Oconee and Pickens County line. Cherokee tribesmen, who often survived by growing crops, and tended to live in small villages, were in many ways more domesticated than other Native American tribes. The Cherokee also hunted game, believing that the foothills were a sacred hunting ground for deer, buffalo, and other large animals.[6]

Find the Right Esthetician School near Liberty SC

Picking and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is essential to receive the necessary 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. Make sure to consolidate all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A good start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the academy and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are ready to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Liberty SC.