How to Choose the Best Esthetician School near West Helena Arkansas
Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near West Helena AR, the process starts to locate and enroll in the ideal program. It’s important that the school you choose not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be rather confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a bit more concerning that in the following segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your West Helena home. Tuition will additionally be an important factor when assessing prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the best choice. There are several other considerations that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are available.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more attractive through the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really 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 form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only West Helena AR beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own residences or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many names and are employed 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 working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.
Click Here to Get Free Information on Esthetician Schools Near You!
Esthetics Degrees and Certificates
There are primarily two avenues offered to obtain esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally take 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 main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you wish to focus on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other West Helena AR 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 training program you choose, it’s essential to make sure that it’s recognized by the Arkansas Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the following segment.
Online Esthetician Classes
Online esthetician classes are convenient for West Helena AR students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous online beauty school programs offered that can be accessed through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are typically fast paced since many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not spending numerous hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it’s important that the school you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Esthetician Training Programs
Below is a list of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your West Helena residence, together with the expense of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt 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 need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the esthetician school you enroll in 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 meet their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 72390 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous West Helena AR businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any esthetician college 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 testimonials from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with West Helena AR salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And last, check with the Arkansas school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you decide on a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your ambition 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 dream is to launch a West Helena AR beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques involves lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. So search for alternate schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s crucial that he or she gets aid in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develop relationships with West Helena AR businesses that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? The majority of esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Talk to 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 accessible to students as well. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not omit it as an option until you find out what financial assistance may be offered.
Best Esthetician Colleges Online West Helena Arkansas
Picking and enrolling in the right esthetician school is important to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Don’t forget to collect all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the academy and program you decide on are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Best Esthetician Colleges Online and wanting more information on the topic Weekend Esthetician Courses Near Me. However, if you begin with that foundation, and answer 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 qualified to begin your career as a professional esthetician in West Helena AR.
More Beauty Spots in West Helena Arkansas
Helena–West Helena, Arkansas
Helena–West Helena is the county seat of and the largest city within Phillips County, Arkansas, United States.[3] The current city was consolidated, effective January 1, 2006, from the two Arkansas cities of Helena and West Helena. Helena is sited on lowlands between the Mississippi River and the eastern side of Crowley's Ridge. West Helena is located on the western side of Crowley's Ridge, a geographic anomaly in the typically flat Arkansas Delta. The Helena Bridge, one of Arkansas' four Mississippi River bridges, carries U.S. Route 49 across to Mississippi. The combined population of the two cities was 15,012 at the 2000 census and at the 2010 census, the official population was 12,282.[4]
The municipality traces its historical roots to the founding of the port town of Helena on the Mississippi River by European Americans in 1833. As the county seat, Helena was the center of a prosperous cotton plantation region in the antebellum years. Helena was occupied by the Union Army early in the American Civil War. The city was the site of the Battle of Helena fought in 1863. Confederate forces unsuccessfully tried to expel Union forces from Helena in order to help relieve pressure on the strategic river town of Vicksburg, Mississippi. Later in the year, Helena served as the launching point for the Union Army in the capture of Little Rock, the state capital.
A thriving blues community developed here in the 1940s and 1950s as rural musicians relocated for city jobs. Mechanization had reduced the need for farm workers. The city continued to grow until the closing of the Mohawk Rubber Company, a subsidiary of Yokohama Rubber Company, in the 1970s. Unemployment surged shortly after.[5]
Business Results 1 - 10 of 1
1 Reviews 