How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Claremont VA

How to Find the Right Esthetics Program near Claremont Virginia

Claremont VA esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Claremont VA, the task begins to locate and enroll in the right program. It’s important that the program you pick not only furnishes the appropriate education for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you may be rather puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a little bit further about that in the upcoming section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Claremont home. Tuition will also be an important consideration when assessing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the ideal option. There are several other qualifications that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are available.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Claremont VA Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more attractive through 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 can 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 undergo some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Claremont VA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a clientele, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own residences or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many professional names and work in a wide variety of specializations including:

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

As formerly mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetics Certificates and Degrees

Claremont VA esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two pathways offered to get 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 call for 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 trained in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you want to specialize in just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Claremont VA 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 decide on, it’s important to make certain that it’s recognized by the Virginia Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next segment.

Online Esthetics Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Claremont VA Online esthetician programs are advantageous for Claremont VA students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online beauty school programs available that can be accessed through a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are frequently fast paced because many courses are as short 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 volume of material, but you’re not devoting many hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it’s vital that the training program you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Training Courses

Claremont VA models benefit from esthetic treatments Following 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 Claremont residence, as well as the cost of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn 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 should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the esthetician college you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 23899 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Claremont VA businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. 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, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Claremont VA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. Finally, consult the Virginia school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you choose a school that specializes in 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 vision is to launch a Claremont VA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty school provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on using mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. So try to find alternate schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s crucial that she or he receives help in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid develop relationships with Claremont VA businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Almost all esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students also. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you determine what financial aid may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Claremont VA?

Perhaps you live in the Claremont 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.

Claremont, Virginia

Claremont is an incorporated town in Surry County, Virginia, United States. The population was 343 at the 2000 census. A granite marker stands as a memorial to the arrival of British settlers in the area. The town was incorporated in 1886, had a port on the James River, and gained railroad service as a terminus for a while before being abandoned. Claremont was home to the Temperance, Industrial, and Collegiate Institute, a school for African Americans founded by a former slave. The area includes a historical marker commemorating the institution.[3]

A granite marker in a circle in the center of town commemorates the landing here on May 5, 1607, of English settlers. Beginning in the late 17th and early 18th centuries, Claremont was a busy port town on the navigable portion of the James River, shipping many goods, but especially hogsheads of tobacco.

After the Civil War, Willie Allen, who inherited Claremont Manor, moved to New York and sold the property. J. Frank Mancha, a Maryland real estate developer took on the project to develop, subdivide and colonize a new town there in 1879. Incorporated in 1886, the town of Claremont became the eastern terminus of the new Atlantic and Danville Railway (A&D), a narrow gauge railroad, which was completed to a point near Emporia called James River Junction, where it connected with a standard gauge track towards Danville. Unfortunately for Claremont, the A&D decided to connect its western leg with a new eastern terminus in West Norfolk on the harbor of Hampton Roads, and the line to Claremont, which was never standard-gauged, went into semi-abandonment. After some use for lumber transport as the Surry, Sussex and Southampton Railway, the rails were removed in the late 1930s.

Find the Right Esthetics Vocational School near Claremont VA

Picking and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is important to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to organize 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 compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you begin 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 ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are ready to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Claremont VA.