How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Mauston WI

How to Pick an Esthetician College near Mauston Wisconsin

Mauston WI esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Mauston WI, the task begins to locate and enroll in the right program. It’s important that the program you choose not only provides the necessary education for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be rather puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a little bit further concerning that in the next section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Mauston home. Tuition will additionally be a critical consideration when evaluating potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the ideal option. There are various other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are available.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Mauston WI Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more attractive through the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be almost anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you go through some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Mauston WI beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many names and are employed in a wide variety of specialties including:

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

As previously mentioned, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees and Certificates

Mauston WI esthetician client with face mask There are basically two avenues available to receive esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually take 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 each of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you prefer to specialize in just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Mauston WI business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you opt for, it’s important to make sure that it’s recognized by the Wisconsin Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next section.

Online Esthetician Schools

woman attending esthetician school online in Mauston WI Online esthetician classes are advantageous for Mauston WI students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are typically fast paced since many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not spending many hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it’s imperative that the training program you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Degree Programs

Mauston WI models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you need to research for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Mauston residence, together with the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the esthetician school you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged 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 can also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in 53948 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Mauston WI businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every esthetician institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Mauston WI salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. And last, contact the Wisconsin school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you pick a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your intention 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 Mauston WI beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Studying and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques involves lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty school furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. So try to find other schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s imperative that she or he gets aid in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer help maintain relationships with Mauston WI employers that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have wide 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 investigating have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and find out 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 available to students also. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not discard it as an option before you learn what financial assistance may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Mauston WI?

Perhaps you live in the Mauston Wisconsin 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.

Mauston, Wisconsin

Mauston is a city in and the county seat of Juneau County, Wisconsin, United States.[6] The population is 4,411 according to the 2010 census. It is approximately seventy miles northwest from the state capital, Madison.

Mauston was founded by Milton M. Maughs. The town was originally named Maughs Town, after him. The town's beginning was based on the lumber industry of early Wisconsin. The history of Mauston is currently preserved in the Boorman House on Union Street.[7][8]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.79 square miles (12.41 km2), of which, 4.39 square miles (11.37 km2) is land and 0.40 square miles (1.04 km2) is water.[1]

Choose the Right Esthetician Vocational School near Mauston WI

Finding and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is imperative to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the information you receive 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 sure that the college and program you select are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are ready to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Mauston WI.