How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Prince George VA

How to Select an Esthetics School near Prince George Virginia

Prince George VA esthetician client with cucumber facialNow that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Prince George VA, the task begins to find and enroll in the best program. It’s essential that the program you select not only furnishes the appropriate education for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you may be rather puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a bit further regarding that in the following section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Prince George residence. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when evaluating potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the best option. There are many other factors that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are offered.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Prince George VACosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you go through some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Prince George VA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a client base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many titles and work in a wide range of specialties including:

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

As formerly mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

Prince George VA esthetician client with face maskThere are basically two options offered to obtain esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally require 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree ordinarily takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you wish to focus on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Prince George VA business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you choose, it’s essential to make certain that it’s recognized by the Virginia Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming section.

Online Esthetician Courses

woman attending esthetician school online in Prince George VAOnline esthetician programs are accommodating for Prince George VA students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are often fast paced because many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it’s imperative that the school you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Training Classes

Prince George VA models benefit from esthetic treatmentsFollowing is a series of questions that you should look into for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Prince George residence, as well as the cost of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly 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 consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have collected some of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the esthetician training program you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified 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 assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 23875 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Prince George VA businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation?  Each esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. 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 regarded. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Prince George VA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And last, contact 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 comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you pick a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your goal 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 desire is to launch a Prince George VA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.

Is Enough Live Training Provided?  Learning and refining esthetician techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty academy offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  When a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s imperative that he or she gets help in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer help develop relationships with Prince George VA businesses that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered?  Many esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students too. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not omit it as an alternative before you learn what financial assistance may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Prince George VA?

Perhaps you live in the Prince George 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.

Prince George County, Virginia

Prince George County was formed in 1703 in the Virginia Colony from the portion of Charles City County that was south of the James River. It was named in honor of Prince George of Denmark, husband of Anne, Queen of Great Britain.

In 1619, "Charles Cittie" [sic] was one of four "boroughs" or "incorporations" created by the Virginia Company. The first Charles City County courthouses were located along the James River at Westover Plantation on the north side and City Point on the south side. The Virginia Company lost its charter in 1624, and Virginia became a royal colony. Charles City Shire was formed in 1634 in the Virginia Colony by order of Charles I, King of England. It was named as Charles City County in 1643.

Charles Cittie, Charles City Shire, and Charles City County all extended to both sides of the James River, which was the major transportation thoroughfare of the Virginia Colony throughout the 17th century. The original central city of Charles City County was Charles City Point, which was in an area south of the James River at the confluence of the Appomattox River. The name was later shortened to City Point.

Enroll in the Right Esthetics Program near Prince George VA

Finding and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is important to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to organize all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to contrast schools. A good start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the institution and program you pick are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions supplied in this article, 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 test, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Prince George VA.

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