How to Select a Beauty College near East Lyme Connecticut
Once you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near East Lyme CT, the task starts to find and enroll in the best school. It’s important that the school you choose not only furnishes the necessary training 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 puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a bit further regarding that in the upcoming section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your East Lyme residence. Tuition will likewise be an important consideration when evaluating potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the best choice. There are a number of other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are available.
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more attractive with the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can 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 require that you go through some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only East Lyme CT beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by 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 already stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates
There are basically two pathways available to get cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually call for 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree ordinarily takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you want to concentrate on just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other East Lyme CT business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you choose, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s approved by the Connecticut Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only certify schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the following segment.
Online Cosmetologist Classes
Online beauty programs are accommodating for East Lyme CT students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are typically 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 courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not spending numerous hours away from your home or commuting to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the school you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Cosmetologist Trade Schools
Following is a list of questions that you should investigate for any beauty training program you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your East Lyme CT residence, as well as the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt 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. Following we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the cosmetology training program you select 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 meet their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 06333 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 East Lyme CT businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any beauty school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with East Lyme CT salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. Finally, consult the Connecticut school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some beauty schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you select 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 well regarded for that program. If your vision is to launch a hair salon in East Lyme CT, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and mastering cosmetology techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty school furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on using mannequins, it may not be the best option for cultivating your skills. So look for alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from a beauty program, it’s crucial that she or he gets support in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help develope relationships with East Lyme CT businesses that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Almost all beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Speak with 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 accessible to students as well. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not omit it as an alternative until you find out what financial help may be available.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near East Lyme CT?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater East Lyme CT area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
East Lyme, Connecticut
East Lyme is located in southern New London County, west of Waterford and Montville, east of Lyme and Old Lyme, and south of Salem. Long Island Sound is to the south. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 42.0 square miles (109 km2), of which 34.0 square miles (88 km2) is land and 7.9 square miles (20 km2), or 18.89%, is water.
The town consists primarily of two villages, Flanders and Niantic. It is common for the town of East Lyme to be erroneously called "Niantic", due to this side of town being the "beach" side which is popular with tourists and visitors in the summer months. Niantic's population doubles in the summer months for the beach season, and it has a much higher density than the more sparsely populated Flanders side of town, which is known for its apple orchards, the town's high school, and forest.
The village of Niantic gets its name from the Niantic or Nehantic people, whose ranging grounds once extended from Wecapaug Brook, in what is now Rhode Island, to the Connecticut River. Shortly before the first settlers arrived, the Pequots had invaded Nehantic territory and annexed about half of the land claimed by the tribe. According to local historian Olive Tubbs Chendali:
Select the Right Cosmetology School near East Lyme CT
Selecting and enrolling in the ideal beauty 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 positive about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the school and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your new career as a professional cosmetologist in East Lyme CT.
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