How to Find the Right Beauty School near Stephens Arkansas
Once you have decided to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Stephens AR, the task starts to locate and enroll in the ideal school. It’s essential that the program you select not only provides the necessary training for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be somewhat puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a bit further concerning that in the following section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Stephens residence. Tuition will additionally be an important consideration when assessing potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the right option. There are various other factors that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about 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 programs are offered.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more attractive with the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you take some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Stephens AR beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a client base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many professional names and are employed in a wide range of specialties including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As previously mentioned, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Degrees
There are basically two pathways available to obtain cosmetology 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 call for 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. Briefer programs are available if you want to focus on just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Stephens AR business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you decide on, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s approved by the Arkansas Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming section.
Online Cosmetology Training
Online cosmetology programs are advantageous for Stephens AR students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are many web-based beauty school programs offered that can be attended through a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are typically fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or commuting to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the training program you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Cosmetologist Degree Programs
Following is a list of questions that you need to investigate for any cosmetology training program you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Stephens AR home, together with the price of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly 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 should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.
Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the cosmetology school you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 71764 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Stephens AR employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any cosmetology college that you are seriously evaluating 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 referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Stephens AR salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, 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, consult the Arkansas school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as 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 specializes in 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 desire is to open a hair salon in Stephens AR, then you want 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 require.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and perfecting cosmetology skills and techniques demands lots of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty classes 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 academy offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. So 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 beauty academy, it’s crucial that he or she gets help in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide aid develope relationships with Stephens AR businesses that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students also. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not omit it as an alternative until you learn what financial assistance may be offered.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Stephens AR?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Stephens AR area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Stephens, Arkansas
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.8 square miles (7.3 km2), of which 2.7 square miles (7.0 km2) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km2) (0.73%) is water.
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 891 people residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 57.1% Black, 40.6% White, 0.1% Native American, 0.1% from some other race and 1.1% from two or more races. 0.9% were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 1,152 people, 448 households, and 317 families residing in the city. The population density was 421.8 people per square mile (162.9/km²). There were 509 housing units at an average density of 186.4/sq mi (72.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 53.04% White, 45.83% Black or African American, 0.35% Native American, 0.17% from other races, and 0.61% from two or more races. 0.69% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
Find the Right Beauty College near Stephens AR
Selecting and enrolling in the ideal cosmetologist program is important to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Don’t forget to organize all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you select are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and answer 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 examination, you will be confident that you are prepared to launch your career as a professional cosmetologist in Stephens AR.
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