How to Choose a Beauty College near Leadville Colorado
Now that you have decided to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Leadville CO, the process starts to find and enroll in the ideal school. It’s important that the program you select not only furnishes the appropriate training for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you might be a little bit puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a little bit further regarding that in the following segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Leadville residence. Tuition will also be a critical consideration when evaluating possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not always the best option. There are several other considerations that you should weigh when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are offered.
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic can be anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states mandate that you undergo some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Leadville CO beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many professional names and are employed in a wide variety of specializations including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As previously stated, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates
There are primarily two avenues available to obtain cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically require 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree ordinarily takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you wish to specialize in just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Leadville CO business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you go with, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s approved by the Colorado Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the next section.
Online Cosmetology Programs
Online beauty classes are convenient for Leadville CO students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs available that can be accessed via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are typically fast paced given that many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same volume 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 important that the school you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Beauty Training Programs
Below is a series of questions that you need to research for any cosmetologist training school you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Leadville CO residence, together with the cost of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the cosmetology college you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified 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 quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 80461 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Leadville CO businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every cosmetologist school that you are seriously evaluating 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, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Leadville CO salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. And last, contact the Colorado school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Some cosmetology schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently 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 ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your dream is to open a hair salon in Leadville CO, 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 pursuing will not provide the training you require.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering cosmetology techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished 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 volunteers. If a beauty program furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best option for acquiring your skills. So search for other schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from a cosmetology academy, it’s crucial that he or she receives aid in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide assistance develope relationships with Leadville CO employers that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Almost all cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and identify 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 as well. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not omit it as an option until you determine what financial aid may be provided.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Leadville CO?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Leadville CO area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Leadville, Colorado
Leadville is the statutory city that is the county seat and only incorporated municipality in Lake County, Colorado, United States.[7] The city population was 2,602 at the 2010 United States Census. Situated at an elevation of 10,152 feet (3,094 m), Leadville is the highest incorporated city and the second highest incorporated municipality in the United States. A former silver mining town that lies near the headwaters of the Arkansas River in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, the Leadville Historic District contains many historic structures and sites from its dynamic mining era. In the late 19th century, Leadville was the second most populous city in Colorado, after Denver.
The Leadville area was first settled in 1859 when placer gold was discovered in California Gulch during the Pikes Peak Gold Rush.[8] By 1860, a town, Oro City ("oro" is the Spanish word for gold), located about a mile from present-day Leadville, had sprung up and a year later its population had reached more than 5,000. But the boom was brief because the placer-mined gold soon ran out and Oro City never became a major settlement.
The early miners had noted that mining for placer gold was hampered by heavy black sand in the sluice boxes, and in 1874 it was discovered that the heavy sand that impeded gold recovery was the lead mineral cerussite, which has a high silver content. Prospectors traced the cerussite to its source, present day Leadville, and by 1876 had discovered several silver-lead lode deposits.[8][9]
Enroll in the Right Beauty Vocational School near Leadville CO
Finding and enrolling in the ideal cosmetologist program is imperative to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel confident about your decision. Make certain to consolidate all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the academy and program you select are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to begin your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Leadville CO.
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