Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools Atlantic Beach FL

How to Select a Beauty College near Atlantic Beach Florida

nail technicians training at Atlantic Beach FL beauty school Now that you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Atlantic Beach FL, the task begins to find and enroll in the best school. It’s important that the program you choose not only provides the appropriate training for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you might be rather confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll speak a bit more concerning that in the upcoming segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Atlantic Beach home. Tuition will also be an important factor when reviewing prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the best option. There are various other considerations that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are available.

Defining Cosmetology

Atlantic Beach FL makeup ar4tist applying makeup Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you undergo some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Atlantic Beach FL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have 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 previously mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates

Atlantic Beach FL hairdresser cutting hair There are basically two avenues 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 typically take 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 instructed in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you wish to concentrate on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Atlantic Beach FL business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you choose, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s approved by the Florida Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the following segment.

Online Cosmetology Programs

student attending cosmetology school online in Atlantic Beach FL Online beauty classes are convenient for Atlantic Beach FL students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be attended via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are frequently fast paced given that many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you’re not devoting many hours away from your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the school you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also obtain 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 area of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Cosmetologist Schools

Questions to ask Atlantic Beach FL beauty schools Following is a list of questions that you will want to look into for any beauty training school you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Atlantic Beach FL residence, together with the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like 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 take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have put together some of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the cosmetology training program you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 32233 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Atlantic Beach FL businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any beauty institute 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 endorsements 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 sought after. Check rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Atlantic Beach FL salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. And finally, check with the Florida school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating 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 typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you choose a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your vision is to start a hair salon in Atlantic Beach FL, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Enough Live Training Provided? Studying 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. Some schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty school furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. So try to find other schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from a beauty academy, it’s important that she or he gets aid in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide aid maintain relationships with Atlantic Beach FL businesses that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, ask 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 Available? The majority of cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students too. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you learn what financial help may be provided.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Atlantic Beach FL?

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

Atlantic Beach, Florida

Atlantic Beach is a city in Duval County, Florida, United States and part of the Jacksonville Beaches communities. When the majority of communities in Duval County consolidated with Jacksonville in 1968, Atlantic Beach, along with Jacksonville Beach, Neptune Beach, and Baldwin, remained quasi-independent. Like the other towns, it maintains its own municipal government, but its residents vote in the Jacksonville mayoral election and have representation on the Jacksonville city council. The population was 12,655 at the 2010 census.[5]

In 1900 Henry Flagler built the Mayport branch of the railroad and erected a station north of where the Adele Grage Cultural Center is currently located.[6] Soon afterwords Flagler built a large hotel called the Continental Hotel on the railroad line between Pablo Beach (Jacksonville Beach) and Mayport. The hotel was a summer resort with 250 guest rooms. There was also a dance pavilion, tennis courts and a fishing pier. In 1913 the railroad sold most of the land to the Atlantic Beach Corporation which then began paving streets, installing lights, and water and sewer lines. In that same year the Continental Hotel changed its name to the Atlantic Beach Hotel.[7] However, during World War I people were afraid to come to the coast and the Atlantic Beach Corporation went bankrupt. To make matters worse the Atlantic Beach Hotel burned down on September 20, 1919. After the war land began to sell again and settlement grew. The Town of Atlantic Beach was incorporated in 1926 and the first charter was adopted in 1929. The first town hall burned down in 1932 and a new one was built in 1932. The newly established Mayport Naval Station and the construction of the Mathews Bridge led to further development of the town. The boundaries of Atlantic Beach were extended in 1987 with the annexation of Seminole Beach and again in 1996 by extending the westerly boundary to the Intracoastal Waterway.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 13.0 square miles (33.6 km2), of which 3.5 square miles (9.0 km2) is land and 9.5 square miles (24.6 km2) (73.07%) is water.[5]

Pick the Right Cosmetology Training Program near Atlantic Beach FL

Atlantic Beach FL barber blow drying client's hair Locating and enrolling in the right cosmetologist college is imperative to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Don’t forget to organize all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are ready to launch your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Atlantic Beach FL.