How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Oak Hill WV

How to Find the Right Esthetics Program near Oak Hill West Virginia

Oak Hill WV esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Oak Hill WV, the process starts to find and enroll in the ideal program. It’s essential that the school you choose not only provides the necessary instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you might be a little bit unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a little bit more concerning that in the upcoming section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Oak Hill residence. Tuition will likewise be an important consideration when assessing prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the right choice. There are several other qualifications that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are offered.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Oak Hill WV Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human anatomy look more attractive with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states mandate that you undergo some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Oak Hill WV beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a customer base, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own residences or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many names and work in a wide range of specializations including:

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

As already mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, such as 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

Oak Hill WV esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two avenues offered to receive esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually call for 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 major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you prefer to specialize in just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Oak Hill WV business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you decide on, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s certified by the West Virginia Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following segment.

Online Esthetician Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Oak Hill WV Online esthetician schools are convenient for Oak Hill WV students who are employed full-time and have family commitments that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are often fast paced because 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’re not spending many hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it’s imperative that the program you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Schools

Oak Hill WV models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you should investigate for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Oak Hill residence, together with the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial 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 options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have collected some of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the esthetician college 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 guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 25901 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Oak Hill WV employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Oak Hill WV salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. And finally, check with the West Virginia 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 Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering 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 imperative that you decide on a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your goal is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your vision is to start a Oak Hill WV beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and perfecting esthetician techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program offers little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best option for acquiring your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s crucial that he or she receives aid in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help develop relationships with Oak Hill WV businesses that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and learn 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 available to students too. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you find out what financial aid may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Oak Hill WV?

Perhaps you live in the Oak Hill West 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.

Oak Hill, West Virginia

Oak Hill is a city in Fayette County, West Virginia, United States and is the primary city within the Oak Hill, WV Micropolitan Statistical Area. The micropolitan area is also included in the Beckley-Oak Hill, WV Combined Statistical Area. The population was 7,730 at the 2010 census. Country singer Hank Williams was discovered to be dead while the car in which he was a passenger was stopped in Oak Hill, and Oak Hill is generally accepted to be his place of death.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.89 square miles (12.67 km2), of which, 4.88 square miles (12.64 km2) is land and 0.01 square miles (0.03 km2) is water.[1]

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 7,730 people, 3,398 households, and 2,085 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,584.0 inhabitants per square mile (611.6/km2). There were 3,703 housing units at an average density of 758.8 per square mile (293.0/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 93.3% White, 4.3% African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 0.2% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.2% of the population.

Find the Right Esthetics Training Program near Oak Hill WV

Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician program is imperative 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 positive about your decision. Be sure to consolidate all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are ready to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Oak Hill WV.