How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Smithfield VA

How to Find the Right Esthetics School near Smithfield Virginia

Smithfield VA esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Smithfield VA, the task begins to search for and enroll in the right program. It’s important that the school you choose not only furnishes the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you might be a little bit confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a bit further concerning that in the following section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Smithfield home. Tuition will also be an important factor when reviewing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the right option. There are several other factors that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are available.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Smithfield VA Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be anything that improves the look 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 form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Smithfield VA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many professional names and work in a wide variety of specializations including:

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

As formerly mentioned, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees and Certificates

Smithfield VA esthetician client with face mask There are basically two avenues available 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 normally require 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 trained in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you wish to concentrate on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Smithfield VA business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you choose, it’s important to make sure that it’s recognized by the Virginia Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the next section.

Online Esthetician Schools

woman attending esthetician school online in Smithfield VA Online esthetician classes are accommodating for Smithfield 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 attended by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are typically fast paced because many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting many hours away from your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the school you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Programs

Smithfield VA models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you should look into for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Smithfield residence, in addition to the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want 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 initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the esthetician school you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 23430 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Smithfield VA businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every 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 referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Smithfield VA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to recommend 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 complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you pick 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 vision is to launch a Smithfield 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 rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and refining esthetician techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty school provides little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. Therefore search for other schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s important that she or he gets aid in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance maintain relationships with Smithfield VA employers that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students too. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not discard it as an alternative before you find out what financial help may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Smithfield VA?

Perhaps you live in the Smithfield 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.

Smithfield, Virginia

The town is most famous for the curing and production of the Smithfield ham. The Virginia General Assembly passed a statute defining "Smithfield ham" by law in 1926, with one of the requirements that it be processed within the town limits. Smithfield Foods, a Fortune 500 company that owns Smithfield Packing Company and others, is the world's largest pork processor and hog producer. The company, based in Smithfield, raises 12 million hogs and processes 20 million pounds of them annually.

Smithfield, first colonized in 1634, is located on the Pagan River, south of Jamestown and on the south side of the James River. The Native Americans knew this area as Warascoyak, also spelled Warrosquoyacke, meaning "point of land."

The Virginia colony officially formed Warrosquyoake Shire (with numerous variant spellings, including Warrascoyack, Warrascocke and "Warwick Squeak") in 1634, but it had already been known as "Warascoyack County" before this. It was renamed as Isle of Wight County in 1637.

Select the Right Esthetician Training Program near Smithfield VA

Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician college is essential to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Don’t forget to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the institution and program you choose are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are ready to start your career as a professional esthetician in Smithfield VA.