How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Bainbridge Island WA

How to Find the Right Esthetician Training Program near Bainbridge Island Washington

Bainbridge Island WA esthetician client with cucumber facial Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Bainbridge Island WA, the process begins to search for and enroll in the right program. It’s essential that the program you pick not only furnishes the necessary instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you might be a little bit confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a bit more about that in the following segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Bainbridge Island residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical factor when reviewing possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the ideal option. There are several other qualifications that you should weigh when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are offered.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Bainbridge Island WA Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more attractive through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are regarded 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 appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you go through some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Bainbridge Island WA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s home, 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 previously stated, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetics Certificates and Degrees

Bainbridge Island WA esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two options available to get 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 usually take 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you want to concentrate on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also most likely incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Bainbridge Island WA business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you decide on, it’s essential to make certain that it’s certified by the Washington Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming segment.

Online Esthetics Training

woman attending esthetician school online in Bainbridge Island WA Online esthetician programs are advantageous for Bainbridge Island WA students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online beauty school programs available that can be attended via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are typically fast paced given that many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not spending many hours away from your home or commuting to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the training program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills needed to work in any area 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.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Training Programs

Bainbridge Island WA models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Bainbridge Island home, as well as the expense of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably 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 need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have put together several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the esthetician school you pick 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 ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 98110 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Bainbridge Island WA employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any esthetician institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Bainbridge Island WA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. Finally, check with the Washington school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive 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 typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you pick 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 open a Bainbridge Island WA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician skills and techniques demands lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty program provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the best option for acquiring your skills. Therefore search for other schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s essential that she or he gets support in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid maintain relationships with Bainbridge Island WA employers that are looking 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, 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 Available? The majority of esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students as well. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an option before you find out what financial help may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Bainbridge Island WA?

Perhaps you live in the Bainbridge Island 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.

Bainbridge Island, Washington

Bainbridge Island is a city in Kitsap County, Washington, United States, and is coextensive with the eponymous island in Puget Sound. The population was 23,025 at the 2010 census, making Bainbridge Island the second largest city in Kitsap County.

For thousands of years,[8] members of the Suquamish tribe and their ancestors lived on the land now called Bainbridge Island.[9] There were nine villages located on the island; this included winter villages at Port Madison, Battle Point, Point White, Lynwood Center, Port Blakely, and Eagle Harbor, as well as summer villages at Manzanita, Fletcher Bay, and Rolling Bay.[8]

In 1792, English explorer Captain George Vancouver spent several days with his ship HMS Discovery anchored off Restoration Point at the southern end of Bainbridge Island while boat parties surveyed other parts of Puget Sound. Vancouver spent a day exploring Rich Passage, Port Orchard, and Sinclair Inlet. He failed to find Agate Passage and so his maps show Bainbridge Island as a peninsula. Vancouver named Restoration Point on May 29, the anniversary of the English Restoration, in honor of King Charles II.[10]

Choose the Right Esthetician Training Program near Bainbridge Island WA

Locating and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is important to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to organize all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Bainbridge Island WA.