How to Select the Right Esthetician Training Program near Athens Alabama
Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Athens AL, the process starts to find and enroll in the best program. It’s important that the school you pick not only provides the proper instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may be rather unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a little bit further concerning that in the next section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Athens residence. Tuition will additionally be an important consideration when reviewing potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not always the ideal option. There are several other qualifications that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are available.
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be almost anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you go through some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Athens AL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional names and are employed in a wide variety of specializations including:
- Estheticians
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Electrolysis Technicians
As formerly mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain 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, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.
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Esthetics Certificates and Degrees
There are essentially two pathways available to obtain 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 typically call for 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree ordinarily takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you want to focus on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Athens AL business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you go with, it’s important to make sure that it’s recognized by the Alabama Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the next section.
Online Esthetician Courses
Online esthetician schools are accommodating for Athens AL students who are working full-time and have family commitments that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs available that can be accessed via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are often fast paced since many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a considerable 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 away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it’s important that the training program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Esthetician Training Programs
Below is a list of questions that you should look into for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Athens home, together with the expense of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have collected several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.
Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the esthetician school you pick 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 ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 35611 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Athens AL employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Athens AL salon owners or managers, or someone working in the field, 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 looked into. And last, contact the Alabama school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important 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 launch a Athens AL beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s crucial that she or he receives support in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance maintain relationships with Athens AL businesses that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Many 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. Speak 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 offered to students also. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an option until you find out what financial aid may be available.
Accelerated Esthetician Programs Online Athens Alabama
Locating and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is imperative to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to organize all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare 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 exceptional reputations within the profession. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Accelerated Esthetician Programs Online and wanting more information on the topic Schools That Offer Esthetics Courses. However, if you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Athens AL.
More Beauty Spots in Athens Alabama
Athens, Alabama
Athens is a city in Limestone County, in the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2010 census, the population of the city is 21,897. The city is the county seat of Limestone County and is included in the Huntsville-Decatur-Albertville, AL Combined Statistical Area.
Founded in 1818 by John Coffee, Robert Beaty, John D. Carroll, and John Read, Athens is one of the oldest incorporated cities in the state, having been incorporated one year prior to the state's admittance to the Union in 1819. Limestone County was also created by an act of the Alabama Territorial Legislature in 1818.[2][8] The town was first called Athenson, but was incorporated as Athens after the ancient city in Greece. The town's first mayor was Samuel Tanner, and the Tanner area, south of Athens, was named on his behalf.[9]
The Athens area was the home of William Wyatt Bibb, the first governor of Alabama, and its second governor, his brother Thomas Bibb, who succeeded him in office when he died in a fall from his horse.[10]
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