How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Aldie VA

How to Select an Esthetician College near Aldie Virginia

Aldie VA esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Aldie VA, the process begins to search for and enroll in the right program. It’s important that the program you select not only provides the proper education for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may be rather confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a bit more regarding that in the next section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Aldie residence. Tuition will additionally be a critical factor when reviewing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the ideal choice. There are various other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are available.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Aldie VA Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful through the application 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 can be almost anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you take some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Aldie VA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many 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 already stated, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees and Certificates

Aldie VA esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two options offered to obtain esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally require 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 instructed in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you want to focus on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Aldie VA business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you go with, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s approved by the Virginia Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following segment.

Online Esthetician Schools

woman attending esthetician school online in Aldie VA Online esthetician classes are convenient for Aldie VA students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs available that can be accessed through a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools are frequently fast paced since 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 dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not spending numerous hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the school you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Schools

Aldie VA models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Aldie residence, in addition to the price of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the esthetician school 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 20105 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Aldie VA employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Aldie VA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And finally, consult the Virginia school licensing authority to see 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 areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as 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 focuses on 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 well regarded for that program. If your dream is to open a Aldie VA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Any Live Training Provided? Practicing and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s important that she or he receives help in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with Aldie VA businesses that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? Almost all esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and find out 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 accessible to students also. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an alternative before you learn what financial help may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Aldie VA?

Perhaps you live in the Aldie Virginia 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.

Aldie, Virginia

Aldie is an unincorporated community located between Chantilly and Middleburg in Loudoun County, Virginia. Aldie's historic heart is the Village of Aldie that is located on the John Mosby Highway (U.S. Route 50) in a gap between the Catoctin Mountains and Bull Run Mountains, through which the Little River flows. Aldie traditionally serves as the gateway to Loudoun Valley and beyond.

As of 2014, the Aldie postal area (ZIP Code 20105) had a population of 11,420 people, a 569% increase since 2000[1] making it one of the fastest growing suburbs in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area and the second fastest growing zip code in Virginia. As a result, the eastern part is suburbanized with numerous upscale communities recently built or under construction while most of the Aldie Hills adjacent to the historic Village of Aldie have so far largely preserved their bucolic character.

Aldie's beginnings were laid in 1765 when James and George Mercer established a mill at the location of the present historic edifice. The location was a natural choice, as the gap contained the intersection of the Belhaven road between Winchester and Alexandria and the Mountain road which ran northwest to Snickers Gap. By 1809 the Little River Turnpike was completed from Alexandria to the Mercer Mill, replacing the older rutted section of Belhaven Road. With the opening of the road, James Mercer's son, Charles Fenton Mercer, in a partnership with William Cooke, set out to develop a village on 30 acres (120,000 m2) at the turnpike's western terminus. Mercer named the village for Castle Aldie, his Scottish clan's ancestral home.

Find the Right Esthetician School near Aldie VA

Picking and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is important to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Make certain to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you pick are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are ready to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Aldie VA.