How to Select a Cosmetologist School near Elaine Arkansas
Since you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Elaine AR, the task begins to locate and enroll in the right school. It’s imperative that the school you choose not only provides the appropriate education 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 a little bit puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a bit more about that in the following section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Elaine home. Tuition will likewise 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 choice. There are several other considerations that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are offered.
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more attractive through the use of cosmetics. So naturally 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 anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you take some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Elaine AR beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a customer base, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many names and work in a wide variety of specializations including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As formerly mentioned, in most states practicing 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. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Certificates and Degrees
There are essentially two avenues offered to obtain cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally require 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 trained in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you want to concentrate on just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Elaine AR business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you choose, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s certified by the Arkansas Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming segment.
Online Cosmetologist Courses
Online cosmetology programs are accommodating for Elaine AR students who are employed full-time and have family commitments that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous online beauty school programs available that can be attended through a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are typically fast paced because many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you’re not spending numerous hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it’s important that the training program you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Cosmetology Schools
Following is a list of questions that you should investigate for any beauty training school you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Elaine AR residence, together with the expense of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like 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. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final selection.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the cosmetology training program you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 72333 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Elaine AR businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each beauty college that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. 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 regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Elaine AR salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. And finally, check with the Arkansas school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you enroll in a school that focuses on 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 respected for that program. If your vision is to launch a hair salon in Elaine AR, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering cosmetology skills and techniques requires lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty program furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. Therefore search for other schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a cosmetology school, it’s essential that he or she gets assistance in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance develope relationships with Elaine AR businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, 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 Aid Available? Almost all cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school is a member of 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 expense, do not omit it as an option before you find out what financial assistance may be available.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Elaine AR?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Elaine AR area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Elaine, Arkansas
Elaine (pronounced locally with the accent on the first syllable) is a very small city in Phillips County, Arkansas, United States, in the delta of the Mississippi River. The population was 865 at the 2000 census.
It is best known as the location of the Elaine massacre of September 30–October 1, 1919, in which an estimated 237 Black people were killed in the rural county by rampaging white mobs. Five whites died in the events. This was one of the worst incidents of racial and labor violence in American history. Black sharecroppers were attempting to organize a farmers' union, which the planters resisted.[3]
Phillips County was developed in the antebellum years for cotton plantations, which relied on the labor of large gangs of enslaved African Americans. Their work produced the wealth of the major large planters. Cotton continued to be the major commodity crop into the 20th century in this area but after the war, blacks preferred to work as sharecroppers or tenant farmers. By the turn of the century, Arkansas and other southern states had disenfranchised most blacks, excluding them from the political system, and imposed Jim Crow. But black sharecroppers began to try to organize a farmers' union after World War I. They were seeking better conditions of payment and accounting from white landowners of the area cotton plantations. Whites resisted any change and often tried to break up there meetings.
Pick the Right Cosmetology Vocational School near Elaine AR
Picking and enrolling in the ideal cosmetology college is imperative to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Don’t forget to compile all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the school and program you select are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, 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 ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are ready to begin your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Elaine AR.
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