Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools Lagunitas CA

How to Select a Cosmetology School near Lagunitas California

nail technicians training at Lagunitas CA beauty school Once you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Lagunitas CA, the process starts to find and enroll in the ideal school. It’s essential that the school you pick not only provides the necessary training for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be somewhat confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a little bit more concerning that in the following segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Lagunitas residence. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when reviewing prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the ideal choice. There are many other qualifications that you should weigh when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are available.

Definition of Cosmetology

Lagunitas CA makeup ar4tist applying makeup Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be almost anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you go through some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Lagunitas CA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many titles and work in a wide variety of specialties including:

Hairdressers
Hairstylists
Beauticians
Barbers
Manicurists
Nail Technicians
Makeup Artists
Hair Coloring Specialists
Estheticians
Electrolysis Technicians

As earlier stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Cosmetologist Degrees

Lagunitas CA hairdresser cutting hair There are essentially two options offered to get 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 generally require 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 trained in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you prefer to specialize in just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Lagunitas CA business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you choose, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s certified by the California Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming section.

Online Beauty Programs

student attending cosmetology school online in Lagunitas CA Online cosmetology schools are accommodating for Lagunitas CA students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it hard 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 conventional cosmetology programs are often fast paced because many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting many hours away from your home or driving to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the training program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Cosmetologist Training Programs

Questions to ask Lagunitas CA beauty schools Following is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any cosmetology training school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Lagunitas CA home, in addition to the expense of tuition, will probably be your primary 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 initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the cosmetology school you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged 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 guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in 94938 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Lagunitas CA employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each cosmetology college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Lagunitas CA salon owners or managers, or someone 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 considered. And finally, check with the California school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you select 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 desire is to launch a hair salon in Lagunitas CA, 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 deliver the training you require.

Is Enough Live Training Provided? Practicing and refining cosmetology skills and techniques involves lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty program provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a cosmetology school, it’s crucial that she or he gets aid in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid develope relationships with Lagunitas CA employers that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher 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 cosmetology schools provide 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 learn what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students too. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an option before you determine what financial help may be provided.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Lagunitas CA?

If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Lagunitas CA area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.

Lagunitas Brewing Company

The Lagunitas Brewing Company, founded in 1993 in Lagunitas, California, is a subsidiary of Heineken International.[2] It is known for iconoclastic interpretations of traditional beer styles, and irreverent descriptive text and stories on its packaging. Lagunitas Brewing was the fifth top selling craft brewery in the US in 2013.[3] In 2017, it became the third-best-selling craft beer in the US.

Before being taken over by Heineken, Lagunitas was one of the fastest-growing craft breweries in the United States. Production increased from 27,000 US bbl (32,000 hL) in 2004[5] to 106,000 US bbl (124,000 hL) in 2010.[6] In March 2011, the company had 92 employees with distribution in 32 states.[5] The brewery announced a $9.5 million expansion slated to begin early 2012 which increased its brewing capacity to 600,000 US bbl (700,000 hL).[5]

On April 9, 2012, Lagunitas announced plans for a new Chicago-based brewery equipped with a 250 barrel brew house which will also have a 600,000 US bbl (700,000 hL) capacity.[7] In May 2012 it was announced that owner Tony Magee had signed a lease for a location in the city's Douglas Park neighborhood in North Lawndale, "that will put him in a space owned by film studio Cinespace...for at least 20 years."[8][9] The Chicago brewery started producing beer on April 18, 2014, and opened an on-premises taproom a few months thereafter.[10] A third brewery is being built in Azusa, CA to be in full production by spring of 2018. This brewery will have an ultimate productive brewing capacity of 1.9 million US beer barrels (2,200,000 hL).

Select the Right Beauty Program near Lagunitas CA

Lagunitas CA barber blow drying client's hair Picking and enrolling in the ideal cosmetology college is imperative to receive 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. Make sure to organize all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you select are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are qualified to begin your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Lagunitas CA.