How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Airway Heights WA

How to Select an Esthetician Program near Airway Heights Washington

Airway Heights WA esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Airway Heights WA, the process starts to locate and enroll in the best program. It’s imperative that the school you select not only provides the proper education for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be a little bit unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll speak a bit more regarding that in the upcoming section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Airway Heights residence. Tuition will also be a critical factor when evaluating possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the best choice. There are several other qualifications that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning 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 offered.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Airway Heights WA Cosmetology 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. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you undergo some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Airway Heights WA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles and are employed in a wide range of specialties including:

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

As formerly stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees and Certificates

Airway Heights WA esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two options available to receive esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally call for 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you wish to focus on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Airway Heights WA business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you go with, it’s essential to make sure that it’s approved by the Washington Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next section.

Online Esthetics Training

woman attending esthetician school online in Airway Heights WA Online esthetician programs are advantageous for Airway Heights WA students who are working full time and have family commitments that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are typically fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not spending numerous hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it’s vital that the training program you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Training Programs

Airway Heights WA models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a list of questions that you should research for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Airway Heights residence, in addition to the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn 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 initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the esthetician school you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 99001 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 Airway Heights WA employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Airway Heights WA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And last, contact the Washington school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating 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 typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you select a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your ambition 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 aspiration is to start a Airway Heights WA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty school offers limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. So try to find alternate 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 essential that he or she receives aid in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide assistance develop relationships with Airway Heights WA businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, 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 respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students also. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an alternative before you find out what financial aid may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Airway Heights WA?

Perhaps you live in the Airway Heights Washington 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.

Airway Heights, Washington

Airway Heights is a city in Spokane County, Washington, United States, just west of Spokane. The population was 6,114 at the 2010 census. The city's name was taken from its close proximity to the runways at Fairchild Air Force Base and Spokane International Airport[5].[6]

Growth in the City was spurred by the opening of the Airway Heights Corrections Center by the Washington State Department of Corrections in 1992 and the opening of the Northern Quest Resort & Casino by the Kalispel Indian Tribe in 2000. More recently, with the addition of a new Wal-Mart Supercenter, several new apartment buildings and housing developments, and the expansion of the Northern Quest Casino, Airway Heights is continuing to grow. Also, the Spokane County Raceway Park is located in Airway Heights, and features major automobile events, including drag racing, stock car racing, and occasional monster truck shows.

The community lies in the northeastern corner of the flat Columbia Plateau. While the plateau tends to be flat, the terrain locally is quite rugged as it is part of the Channeled Scablands. The "heights" in the city's name references its location at a higher elevation than the city center of Spokane. Traveling into Airway Heights along Highway 2, the main road into the city, from Downtown Spokane, one will climb over 500 feet.

Find the Right Esthetician School near Airway Heights WA

Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is essential to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Don’t forget to organize all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the school and program you select are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Airway Heights WA.