How to Select a Beauty School near Loxley Alabama
Once you have decided to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Loxley AL, the task starts to locate and enroll in the ideal school. It’s important that the program you pick not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be rather puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll talk a bit more about that in the following section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Loxley residence. Tuition will also be an important aspect when evaluating potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the best option. There are many other qualifications that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning 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.
Defining Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful with the use 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 word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic can be anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you take some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Loxley AL 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, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles and work in a wide range of specialties including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As previously stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates
There are primarily two pathways offered to receive cosmetology 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 normally 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 want to focus on just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Loxley AL business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you opt for, it’s important to make sure that it’s approved by the Alabama Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming section.
Online Cosmetologist Training
Online cosmetology programs are convenient for Loxley AL students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online beauty school programs available that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are frequently fast paced because many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not devoting numerous hours away from your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the school you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Cosmetologist Training Programs
Following is a series of questions that you should research for any cosmetologist training program you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Loxley AL home, in addition to the cost of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like 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 preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have collected some of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make certain that the cosmetology school you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in 36551 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Loxley AL employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each cosmetology institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Loxley AL salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, 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 thought of. Finally, check with the Alabama 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 cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all areas 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 objective 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 start a hair salon in Loxley AL, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Practicing and mastering cosmetology techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty academy offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. So try to find other schools that furnish this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from a beauty academy, it’s crucial that he or she receives assistance in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide assistance develope relationships with Loxley AL businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Almost all cosmetology schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Speak with 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 meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not discard it as an alternative until you learn what financial help may be provided.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Loxley AL?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Loxley AL area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Loxley, Alabama
Loxley is a town in Baldwin County, Alabama, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population of the town was 1,632.[3] It is part of the Daphne-Fairhope-Foley micropolitan area. Loxley is becoming a popular location for the expansion of the suburbs from Daphne and Spanish Fort, Alabama, because it is served by an Interstate 10 exit and is almost directly between the cities of Mobile, Alabama, and Pensacola, Florida.
In 1870, a man from Chicago by the name of John Loxley established a lumber camp in the area previously known as Bennet. The lumber camp included a commissary and saw mill. The men that traveled with Loxley settled in what later became the town of Loxley. John Loxley returned to Chicago when the lumber was exhausted.[4]
The train depot opened on May 5, 1906, on the Fort Morgan Line. Before that, there were only wagon roads to Bay Minette. Also in 1906, the Loxley post office was opened by Octavia Sauer. She served as the postmistress and depot agent. By 1920, the businesses in Loxley consisted of an egg store, grocery store, two general merchandise stores, train depot, drug store, telegraph office, land office, repair garage, post office, bank, hotel, butcher shop, orange packing shed, cement block plant, a blacksmith, a feed and lumber store. A grammar school was built in 1925.[4]
Select the Right Beauty Vocational School near Loxley AL
Selecting and enrolling in the right cosmetology college is imperative to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Don’t forget to compile all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the school and program you select are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Loxley AL.
Other Beautiful Locations in Alabama
Business Results 1 - 10 of 2
4 Reviews 
26 Reviews 