How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools New Castle VA

How to Enroll In an Esthetics Program near New Castle Virginia

New Castle VA esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near New Castle VA, the task starts to find and enroll in the best program. It’s imperative that the program you choose not only furnishes the proper instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you may be rather unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a little bit more concerning that in the upcoming section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your New Castle residence. Tuition will also be a critical factor when assessing prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the best choice. There are several other qualifications that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners New Castle VA Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more attractive through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you go through some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only New Castle VA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many names 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 previously mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetics Certificates and Degrees

New Castle VA esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two avenues offered to get esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally call for 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you wish to focus on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other New Castle VA business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you go with, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s approved by the Virginia Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next section.

Online Esthetician Schools

woman attending esthetician school online in New Castle VA Online esthetician classes are advantageous for New Castle 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 web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be attended by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are typically fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as short as six or eight 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 spending numerous hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the school you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Training Courses

New Castle VA models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you will want to look into for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your New Castle residence, in addition to the cost of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt 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 take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the esthetician school you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified 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 assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 24127 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many New Castle VA businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every esthetician institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with New Castle VA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. 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? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you select 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 vision is to launch a New Castle VA beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty academy provides little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for developing your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s imperative that she or he gets support in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance maintain relationships with New Castle VA employers that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have extensive 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 get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students too. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you determine what financial aid may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near New Castle VA?

Perhaps you live in the New Castle 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.

New Castle, Virginia

New Castle (historically spelled as one word; "Newcastle") is the only town in Craig County, Virginia, United States. The population was 153 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Craig County.[3]

Two notable geophysical features of the town are the high cliffs just west of the city (which keeps the New River watershed flowing north away from New Castle) and Johns Creek gorge featuring some challenging whitewater (James River watershed). Due to an old land charter however, paddling Johns Creek was disputed as trespassing by the landowner, recent court rulings have opened the run up once again.

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 179 people, 85 households, and 51 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,105.0 people per square mile (432.0/km²). There were 93 housing units at an average density of 574.1 per square mile (224.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 100.00% White.

Find the Right Esthetician Program near New Castle VA

Finding and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is imperative to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Don’t forget to consolidate all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in New Castle VA.