How to Find the Right Cosmetologist School near Helena Arkansas
Once you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Helena AR, the process begins to find and enroll in the ideal school. It’s essential that the school you pick not only furnishes the necessary education for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be rather unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a little bit more regarding that in the upcoming section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Helena home. Tuition will also be an important consideration when reviewing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the ideal choice. There are a number of other considerations that you should weigh when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are available.
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more attractive with the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic can be anything that enhances the look 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 Helena AR beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many names and are employed in a wide range of specializations including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As earlier stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Certificates and Degrees
There are primarily two pathways offered to obtain cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually 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 major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you want to focus on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Helena AR business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you opt for, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s certified by the Arkansas Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the following segment.
Online Cosmetology Training
Online cosmetology programs are accommodating for Helena AR students who are employed full-time and have family commitments that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are frequently fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not spending many hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the program you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Cosmetologist Training Courses
Following is a series of questions that you should look into for any cosmetologist training school you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Helena AR home, together with the expense of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have put together several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the cosmetology training program you select 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 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 typically are not offered in 72342 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Helena AR employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each beauty institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Helena AR salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And finally, check with the Arkansas school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? A number of cosmetology 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 instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you decide on a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your objective is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your desire is to launch a hair salon in Helena AR, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Studying and perfecting cosmetology skills and techniques demands lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty school provides little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best option for cultivating your skills. So try to find alternate schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a beauty program, it’s imperative that she or he gets assistance in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide assistance maintain relationships with Helena AR employers that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Most cosmetology schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students too. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an option until you determine what financial assistance may be available.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Helena AR?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Helena AR area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
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]
Choose the Right Beauty Training Program near Helena AR
Finding and enrolling in the ideal cosmetologist program is imperative to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to collect all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you pick are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to narrow down 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 ready to begin your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Helena AR.
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