How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Cleveland TN

How to Find the Right Esthetician Training Program near Cleveland Tennessee

Cleveland TN esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Cleveland TN, the task starts to search for and enroll in the ideal program. It’s imperative that the school you pick not only provides the necessary training for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you may be rather confused 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 talk a little bit more about that in the following segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Cleveland home. Tuition will additionally be an important aspect when evaluating potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the right choice. There are several other factors that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are offered.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Cleveland TN Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more attractive with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be anything that enhances the look 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 form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Cleveland TN beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many titles 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 practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees

Cleveland TN esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two avenues available to obtain 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 typically require 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 instructed in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you want to concentrate on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also probably include management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Cleveland TN business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you choose, it’s important to make sure that it’s certified by the Tennessee Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following segment.

Online Esthetics Schools

woman attending esthetician school online in Cleveland TN Online esthetician programs are convenient for Cleveland TN students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs available that can be attended via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are frequently fast paced since many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not spending many hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it’s imperative that the program you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Schools

Cleveland TN models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you need to research for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Cleveland home, together with the expense of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the esthetician college you pick 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 ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 37311 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Cleveland TN businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Cleveland TN salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. Finally, check with the Tennessee school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you pick a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your intention 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 Cleveland TN beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.

Is Enough Live Training Provided? Learning and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on volunteers. Ask 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 developing skills on real people. If a beauty school furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s important that he or she receives aid in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide aid develop relationships with Cleveland TN employers that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Almost all esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and find out 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 offered to students too. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an option before you learn what financial aid may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Cleveland TN?

Perhaps you live in the Cleveland Tennessee 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.

Cleveland, Tennessee

Cleveland is a city in Bradley County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 41,285 at the 2010 census.[9] It is the county seat and largest city in Bradley County,[10] and the principal city of the Cleveland, Tennessee metropolitan area (consisting of Bradley County and neighboring Polk County), which is included in the Chattanooga–Cleveland–Dalton, TN–GA–AL Combined Statistical Area. Cleveland is the fourteenth-largest city in Tennessee and the fifth-largest industrially, having thirteen Fortune 500 manufacturers.[11][12]

Long before the time of European encounter, this area was part of a large territory occupied by the Cherokee Nation, which extended into the South to present-day western North Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama. During and after the American Revolutionary War, European Americans came into increasing conflict with the Cherokee by migrating west of the Appalachian Mountains and encroaching on Cherokee territory. The Cherokee had tolerated traders but resisted settlers who tried to take over their territory.

In 1819, the Cherokee Agency— the official liaison between the U.S. government and the Cherokee Nation— was moved to the Hiwassee area, a few miles north of what is now Cleveland. The Indian agent was Colonel Return J. Meigs. Charleston and Blythe Ferry (about 15 miles, or 24 kilometers, northwest of Cleveland) were both important sites during the Cherokee Removal in the late 1830s.[1]

Select the Right Esthetics Training Program near Cleveland TN

Locating and enrolling in the right esthetician college is imperative to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to organize all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you select are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are qualified to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Cleveland TN.