How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Danville VA

How to Enroll In an Esthetics College near Danville Virginia

Danville VA esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Danville VA, the process begins to find and enroll in the right program. It’s important that the program you select not only provides the appropriate education for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be somewhat confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a bit more regarding that in the upcoming section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Danville home. Tuition will also be an important factor when reviewing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not always the right option. There are various other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are offered.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Danville VA Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful through the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic can be anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you take some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Danville VA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many names and are employed in a wide variety of specialties including:

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

As previously mentioned, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees

Danville VA esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two options 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 generally take 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree ordinarily 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 available if you want to specialize in just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Danville VA business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you opt for, it’s important to make sure that it’s recognized by the Virginia Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the next section.

Online Esthetician Programs

woman attending esthetician school online in Danville VA Online esthetician programs are convenient for Danville VA students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs available that can be attended through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it’s imperative that the school you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Programs

Danville VA models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you need to research for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Danville residence, together with the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like 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 initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have collected some of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the esthetician school you choose 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 24540 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Danville VA employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Danville VA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. And finally, check with the Virginia school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you choose a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your objective is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your dream is to start a Danville VA beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Studying and refining esthetician skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty school offers limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for developing your skills. So look for other schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s imperative that she or he receives assistance in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish aid maintain relationships with Danville VA employers that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments 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 Assistance Available? Most esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and identify 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 expense, do not omit it as an option until you determine what financial aid may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Danville VA?

Perhaps you live in the Danville 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.

Danville, Virginia

Danville is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States, located on the fall line of the Dan River. It was a major center of Confederate activity during the Civil War,[3] due to its strategic location on the Richmond and Danville Railroad, and today is principal city of the Danville, Virginia Micropolitan Statistical Area.

As of the 2010 census, the population was 43,055.[4] It is bounded by Pittsylvania County, Virginia and Caswell County, North Carolina. It hosts the Danville Braves baseball club of the Appalachian League.

In 1728, English colonist William Byrd headed an expedition sent to determine the true boundary between Virginia and North Carolina. Late that summer, the party camped upstream from what is now Danville. Byrd was so taken with the beauty of the land, that he prophesied a future settlement in the vicinity, where people would live "with much comfort and gaiety of Heart." He named the river along which they camped as the "Dan", for Byrd felt he had wandered "from Dan to Beersheba."[citation needed]

Select the Right Esthetician Training Program near Danville VA

Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician school is essential to obtain the proper 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. Be sure to collect all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you choose are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Danville VA.