How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Fishersville VA

How to Pick an Esthetician Training Program near Fishersville Virginia

Fishersville VA esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Fishersville VA, the task begins to find and enroll in the right program. It’s imperative that the program you pick not only provides the proper education for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you may be somewhat puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll talk a little bit further about that in the upcoming segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Fishersville home. Tuition will also be an important consideration when reviewing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not always the ideal option. There are various other considerations that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are available.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Fishersville VA Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more beautiful with the use 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 really a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you go through some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Fishersville VA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles and are employed in a wide variety of specializations including:

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

As already stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetics Certificates and Degrees

Fishersville VA esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two options offered to receive 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 require 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 offered if you wish to concentrate on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Fishersville VA business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you go with, it’s important to make sure that it’s certified by the Virginia Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the following section.

Online Esthetics Courses

woman attending esthetician school online in Fishersville VA Online esthetician classes are advantageous for Fishersville VA students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs available that can be attended by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are often fast paced since many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting many hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the school you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Training Courses

Fishersville VA models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a list of questions that you need to research for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Fishersville home, in addition to the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly 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 need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make certain that the esthetician school you select 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 ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 22939 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Fishersville VA employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Fishersville VA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. And last, check with the Virginia school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted 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 facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you select a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your dream is to open a Fishersville VA beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Practicing and refining esthetician skills and techniques requires lots of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school offers limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. So try to find alternate schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s crucial that he or she receives help in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help develop relationships with Fishersville VA businesses that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? The majority of esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students too. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an option before you learn what financial assistance may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Fishersville VA?

Perhaps you live in the Fishersville 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.

Fishersville, Virginia

Fishersville is a census-designated place (CDP) in Augusta County, Virginia, United States. The population was 7,462 at the 2010 census, an increase of nearly fifty percent from the 4,998 reported in 2000. It is part of the Staunton–Waynesboro Micropolitan Statistical Area. Fishersville is also home to Barren Ridge Vineyards (on the Shenandoah Valley Wine Trail), winner of the 2009 Best in Show wine at the Virginia State Fair.

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 4,998 people, 1,826 households, and 1,433 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 380.6 people per square mile (147.0/km2). There were 1,931 housing units at an average density of 147.0/sq mi (56.8/km2). The racial makeup of the CDP was 94.76% White, 3.98% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.42% Asian, 0.08% from other races, and 0.64% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.62% of the population.

There were 1,826 households out of which 32.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.0% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.5% were non-families. 19.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 2.85.

Enroll in the Right Esthetics Program near Fishersville VA

Selecting and enrolling in the right esthetician program is imperative to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to consolidate all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to start your career as a professional esthetician in Fishersville VA.