How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Reston VA

How to Pick an Esthetics Training Program near Reston Virginia

Reston VA esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Reston VA, the task starts to locate and enroll in the ideal program. It’s important that the school you pick not only furnishes the necessary training for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be somewhat confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a little bit more about that in the next section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Reston home. Tuition will also be an important aspect when evaluating potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not always the right choice. There are a number of other considerations that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are available.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Reston VA Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you go through some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Reston VA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a customer base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many titles and are employed in a wide range of specializations including:

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

As previously stated, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees

Reston VA esthetician client with face mask There are basically two pathways 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 trained in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Reston VA business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you decide on, it’s important to make sure that it’s approved by the Virginia Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming section.

Online Esthetician Courses

woman attending esthetician school online in Reston VA Online esthetician schools are convenient for Reston VA students who are employed full-time and have family commitments that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed through a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are frequently fast paced because many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting numerous hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the school you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Training Programs

Reston VA models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you should investigate for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Reston home, together with the price of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the esthetician school 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 20190 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Reston VA businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references 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 along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Reston VA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. Finally, consult the Virginia school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you decide on a school that focuses on 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 desire is to open a Reston VA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques requires lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty program furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for developing your skills. So search for alternate schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s important that he or she gets help in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with Reston VA employers that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools 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. High rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Many esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and learn 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 offered to students also. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not discard it as an option before you find out what financial help may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Reston VA?

Perhaps you live in the Reston 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.

Reston, Virginia

Reston is one of the leading "New Town" planned communities in the United States. Founded in 1964, Reston was influenced by the Garden City movement that emphasized planned, self-contained communities that intermingled green space, residential neighborhoods, and commercial development.[3] The intent of Reston's founder, Robert E. Simon, was to build a town that would revolutionize post–World War II concepts of land use and residential/corporate development in suburban America.[4] In 2018, Reston was ranked as the Best Places to Live in Virginia by Money magazine for its expanses of parks, lakes, golf courses, and bridle paths as well as the numerous shopping and dining opportunities in Reston Town Center.[5] Beginning in 2017, however, high-density commercial and residential developments along the Dulles Toll Road began to spark concerns among residents about local government's ability to ensure that key infrastructure, including roads, schools, and parks, would remain in sync with the accelerating pace of new construction.[6]

Reston is a census-designated place (CDP) in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States, within the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated Reston's population to be 60,070 as of December 2017.[7]

In the early days of Colonial America, the land on which Reston sits was part of the Northern Neck Proprietary, a vast grant by King Charles II to Lord Thomas Fairfax that extended from the Potomac River to the Rappahannock. The property remained in the Fairfax family until they sold it in 1852.[8]

Find the Right Esthetics Vocational School near Reston VA

Locating and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is essential to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the academy and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. 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 proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to start your career as a professional esthetician in Reston VA.