How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Suffolk VA

How to Enroll In an Esthetics School near Suffolk Virginia

Suffolk VA esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Suffolk VA, the process starts to search for and enroll in the best program. It’s essential that the program you select not only provides the proper instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you might be a little bit unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a little bit more regarding that in the next section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Suffolk residence. Tuition will also be an important consideration when reviewing potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the ideal option. There are many other qualifications that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding 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 types of programs are available.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Suffolk VA Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more attractive 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 basically a cosmetic may be anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you undergo some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Suffolk VA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many titles and work in a wide variety of specialties 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 certain states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees and Certificates

Suffolk VA esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two pathways available to obtain esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally call for 12 to 18 months to complete, 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 major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you prefer to specialize in just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Suffolk VA business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you go with, it’s essential to make sure that it’s approved by the Virginia Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only certify schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following segment.

Online Esthetician Schools

woman attending esthetician school online in Suffolk VA Online esthetician classes are convenient for Suffolk VA students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are typically fast paced given that many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours away from your home or travelling to and from classes. However, it’s important that the program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Training Courses

Suffolk VA models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you need to look into for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Suffolk home, in addition to the cost of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish 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 additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the esthetician training program you select 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 assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in 23432 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 Suffolk VA businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Check rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Suffolk VA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. And last, consult the Virginia school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you enroll in a school that focuses on 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 respected for that program. If your desire is to launch a Suffolk 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 weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Studying and mastering esthetician skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on people. Ask 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 enable students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty academy provides limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best option for developing your skills. Therefore look for other schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s important that she or he gets assistance in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develop relationships with Suffolk VA businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? The majority of esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Talk to 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 offered to students too. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an option until you learn what financial help may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Suffolk VA?

Perhaps you live in the Suffolk 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.

Suffolk, Virginia

Suffolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2017 census, the estimated population was 90,237[3] It is the largest city in Virginia by boundary land area as well as the 14th largest in the country.

Suffolk is located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area which also includes the independent cities of Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Virginia Beach, as well as other smaller cities, counties, and towns of Hampton Roads. With miles of waterfront property on the Nansemond and James River, present day Suffolk was formed in 1974 after consolidating with Nansemond County and the towns of Holland and Whaleyville. The current mayor is Linda T. Johnson.[4]

Suffolk was founded by English colonists in 1742 as a port town on the Nansemond River in the Virginia Colony. Originally known as Constant's Warehouse, for settler John Constant, Suffolk was renamed after Royal Governor William Gooch's home of Suffolk, a county in East Anglia, England. Before European contact, indigenous American tribes had lived in the region for thousands of years. At the time of English settlement, the Nansemond Indians lived along the river. In the early colonial years, the English cultivated tobacco as a commodity crop, but later turned to mixed farming. It became the county seat of Nansemond County in 1750.

Select the Right Esthetician Vocational School near Suffolk VA

Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician college is essential to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel confident about your decision. Make certain to collect all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the school and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are prepared to start your career as a professional esthetician in Suffolk VA.