How to Enroll In the Best Esthetician School near West Memphis Arkansas
Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near West Memphis AR, the task begins to find and enroll in the best program. It’s imperative that the school you choose not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be a little bit unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll talk a bit further concerning that in the upcoming segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your West Memphis home. Tuition will likewise be a critical factor when evaluating possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not always the best choice. There are several other factors that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are offered.
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be almost anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states mandate that you take some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only West Memphis AR beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a customer base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own residences or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have 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. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.
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Esthetician Certificates and Degrees
There are basically two pathways offered to receive esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally take 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you want to specialize in just one area, for example 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 West Memphis AR business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you go with, it’s essential to make sure that it’s recognized by the Arkansas Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, 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 Esthetics Schools
Online esthetician programs are accommodating for West Memphis AR students who are working full time and have family commitments that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs available that can be attended through a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are typically fast paced because many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting many hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it’s vital that the school you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Esthetician Trade Schools
Following is a list of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your West Memphis residence, together with the price of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you want 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 initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the esthetician school you choose 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in 72301 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous West Memphis AR businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with West Memphis AR salon owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And last, contact the Arkansas school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing 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 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 sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your vision is to launch a West Memphis AR beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques requires lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. So search for other schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician school, it’s imperative that she or he gets support in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer help maintain relationships with West Memphis AR employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, 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 respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Almost all esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and learn 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 too. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not drop it as an option until you find out what financial aid may be provided.
Best Esthetician Training Online West Memphis Arkansas
Choosing and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is essential to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to organize all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the institution 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 Training Online and wanting more information on the topic Weekend Esthetician Classes Near Me. However, if you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in West Memphis AR.
More Beauty Spots in West Memphis Arkansas
West Memphis, Arkansas
West Memphis is the largest city in Crittenden County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 26,245 at the 2010 census,[3] ranking it as the state's 18th largest city, behind Bella Vista. It is part of the Memphis metropolitan area, and is located directly across the Mississippi River from Memphis, Tennessee.
Native Americans lived in the Mississippi River Valley for at least 10,000 years, although much of the evidence of their presence has been buried or destroyed. The Indians of the Mississippian Period were the last native inhabitants of the West Memphis area. Mound City Road, located within the eastern portion of the West Memphis city limits, has a marker indicating that the villages of Aquixo (Aquijo) or Pacaha were in the area. Several mounds are still visible.
Explorers from both Spain and France visited the area near West Memphis. Among those explorers were Hernando de Soto and his men from Spain and Father Jacques Marquette and Louis Jolliet from France. By the time French hunters and explorers entered the region, the Mississippian towns and other settlements had been abandoned. The original site of West Memphis came from Spanish land grants issued during the 1790s. Grants were given to Benjamin Fooy, John Henry Fooy, and Isaac Fooy in the Hopefield (Crittenden County) area and to William McKenney in the Bridgeport-West Memphis area.
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