How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools College Station TX

How to Find the Right Esthetician Training Program near College Station Texas

College Station TX esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near College Station TX, the process begins to find and enroll in the ideal program. It’s important that the school you select not only furnishes the proper training for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you might be somewhat puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a bit further about that in the next segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your College Station residence. Tuition will likewise be an important aspect when evaluating potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not always the ideal choice. There are many other factors that you should evaluate when comparing 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 talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are available.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners College Station TX Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic can be anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states mandate that you take some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only College Station TX beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many names and work in a wide range of specializations including:

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

As formerly stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, for example 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.

Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

College Station TX esthetician client with face mask There are basically two pathways available to get esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically call for 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 trained in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you wish to concentrate on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also probably include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other College Station TX business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you opt for, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s approved by the Texas 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 cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming section.

Online Esthetician Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in College Station TX Online esthetician classes are accommodating for College Station TX students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online beauty school programs offered that can be accessed via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are often fast paced given that many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not spending numerous hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. However, it’s essential that the school you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Degree Programs

College Station TX models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you should investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your College Station residence, together with the price of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following 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 important to make sure that the esthetician school you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 77840 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous College Station TX 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 Great Reputation? Every esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. 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, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with College Station TX salon owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. Finally, check with the Texas school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you decide on a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your objective is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your dream is to start a College Station TX beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.

Is Any Live Training Provided? Studying and refining esthetician techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on volunteers. Find out 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 rather relies predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for developing your skills. Therefore look for other schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s essential that he or she gets support in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide assistance maintain relationships with College Station TX employers that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are contemplating 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. High rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Talk to 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 too. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not drop it as an option before you learn what financial aid may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near College Station TX?

Perhaps you live in the College Station Texas 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.

College Station, Texas

College Station is a city in Brazos County, Texas, situated in East-Central Texas in the heart of the Brazos Valley, in the center of the region known as Texas Triangle. It is 90 miles (140 kilometers) northwest of Houston and 87 miles (140 km) northeast of Austin. As of the 2010 census, College Station had a population of 93,857,[2] which had increased to an estimated population of 119,304 as of August 2018.[3] College Station and Bryan together make up the Bryan-College Station metropolitan area, the 14th-largest metropolitan area in Texas with 255,589 people as of 2015.

College Station is home to the main campus of Texas A&M University, the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The city owes both its name and existence to the university's location along a railroad. Texas A&M's triple designation as a Land-, Sea-, and Space-Grant institution reflects the broad scope of the research endeavors it brings to the city, with ongoing projects funded by agencies such as NASA, the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, and the Office of Naval Research.

The origins of College Station date from 1860, when the Houston and Texas Central Railway began to build through the region.[5] Eleven years later, the site was chosen as the location for the proposed Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, a land-grant school.[5] In 1876, as the nation celebrated its centennial, the school (renamed Texas A&M University in 1963) opened its doors as the first public institution of higher education in the state of Texas.[5]

Select the Right Esthetics Program near College Station TX

Finding and enrolling in the right esthetician program is important to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Don’t forget to organize all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you pick are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are qualified to start your new career as a professional esthetician in College Station TX.