How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Castle Rock WA

How to Pick an Esthetician College near Castle Rock Washington

Castle Rock WA esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Castle Rock WA, the process starts to search for and enroll in the ideal program. It’s important that the program you pick not only furnishes the proper training for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be a little bit puzzled 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 speak a little bit more about that in the upcoming segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Castle Rock home. Tuition will likewise be a critical factor when evaluating prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not always the right option. There are a number of other factors that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for example 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 talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are available.

Definition of Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Castle Rock WA Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful through 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 term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic can be almost anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you undergo some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Castle Rock 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, establish 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 go by many names 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 working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees

Castle Rock WA esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two avenues available to get 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 complete, while an Associate’s degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you wish to specialize in just one area, such as esthetics. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Castle Rock WA business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you decide on, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s recognized by the Washington Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming segment.

Online Esthetics Schools

woman attending esthetician school online in Castle Rock WA Online esthetician programs are convenient for Castle Rock WA students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs offered that can be attended through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are typically fast paced since many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a substantial 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. However, it’s essential that the school you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Degree Programs

Castle Rock WA models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a list of questions that you will want to research for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Castle Rock residence, in addition to the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options 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 several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the esthetician college you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in 98611 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Castle Rock WA businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. 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, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Castle Rock WA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And last, check with the Washington school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you enroll in a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your intention 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 aspiration is to launch a Castle Rock WA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Practicing and refining esthetician skills and techniques demands lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty program furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best option for acquiring your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s important that he or she gets support in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help develop relationships with Castle Rock WA businesses that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Almost all esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students as well. If a school fulfills each 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 offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Castle Rock WA?

Perhaps you live in the Castle Rock 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.

Castle Rock, Washington

Castle Rock is a city in Cowlitz County, Washington, United States. Located between the Willapa Hills and western base of Mount St. Helens, Castle Rock is at the heart of Washington timber country in the Pacific temperate rain forest. Castle Rock is part of the Longview, Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area; the population was 1,982 as of the 2010 census.

Castle Rock is named for a volcanic rock outcropping over the Cowlitz River, "The Rock", rising 190 feet high on the south side of the city. The rock formation, resembling a castle, became a geographic landmark for Cowlitz Indians and Hudson's Bay Company traders as early as 1832. Today, it is the location of The Rock Community Park, with hiking trails, picnic tables, and a historical marker.[5]

Castle Rock is centered primarily on the donation land claim of Eliza and William Huntington, who settled at the location in 1852. The city was platted December 12, 1888 and incorporated on June 20, 1890. Castle Rock prospered as a Cowlitz River steamboat port and trading center for valley farms. The local sawmill was the first to produce cedar shingles, using the Western red cedar, which grows in abundance in the region.

Enroll in the Right Esthetics Vocational School near Castle Rock WA

Choosing and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is important to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to collect all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you choose are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, 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 ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are ready to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Castle Rock WA.