How to Find the Right Beauty College near Carrollton Alabama
Since you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Carrollton AL, the process begins to find and enroll in the best school. It’s imperative that the school you choose not only furnishes the necessary training for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be rather confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a little bit further concerning that in the next segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Carrollton home. Tuition will additionally be an important consideration when evaluating possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not always the right choice. There are several other qualifications that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are offered.
Defining Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you take some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Carrollton AL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles and are employed in a wide variety of specializations including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As previously mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Degrees
There are essentially two pathways available to get cosmetology 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 generally take 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Carrollton AL business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you decide on, it’s essential to make sure that it’s certified by the Alabama Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following section.
Online Beauty Courses
Online beauty programs are advantageous for Carrollton AL students who are working full time and have family commitments that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs available that can be accessed via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced since many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not spending numerous hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the program you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Cosmetology Trade Schools
Below is a series of questions that you should research for any cosmetology training program you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Carrollton AL home, as well as the price of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably 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 put together several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the cosmetology training program 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 35447 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Carrollton AL employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each cosmetology institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Carrollton AL salon owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. Finally, check with the Alabama school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you pick a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your goal 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 vision is to launch a hair salon in Carrollton AL, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering cosmetology techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty academy furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for developing your skills. So look for alternate schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from a cosmetology program, it’s important that she or he receives help in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide assistance maintain relationships with Carrollton AL businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Most beauty schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students as well. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you find out what financial aid may be offered.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Carrollton AL?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Carrollton AL area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Carrollton, Alabama
The Pickens County Courthouse in the center of Carrollton was erected in 1877. The first courthouse in Carrollton was burned on April 5, 1865 by troops of Union General John T. Croxton. A second courthouse was destroyed by a fire on November 16, 1876.
Incorporated in 1831, the town was named after Charles Carroll of Carrollton, Maryland, the only Roman Catholic and longest-living signer of the Declaration of Independence.[4] A post office has been in operation at Carrollton since 1831.[5]
As was typical, the county jail was located at the courthouse. The courthouse square was used frequently as a site for public lynchings by whites of African Americans, part of numerous efforts to suppress them during a time of high tensions as whites struggled for dominance. It was part of a program of intimidation and racial terrorism, with these murders frequent in the decades on either side of the turn of the 20th century. Among the numerous African Americans lynched in Carrollton was John Gibson, hanged on August 28, 1907.[6] Pickens County had the fifth highest total of lynchings in Alabama, according to Lynching in America (2015, 3rd edition), published by the Equal Justice Initiative.
Select the Right Cosmetologist College near Carrollton AL
Finding and enrolling in the ideal cosmetologist college is imperative to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the academy and program you pick are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your career as a professional cosmetologist in Carrollton AL.
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