How to Find the Right Cosmetologist School near Folkston Georgia
Once you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Folkston GA, the task starts to search for and enroll in the ideal school. It’s essential that the school you pick not only furnishes the necessary education for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. 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 names are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a bit further about that in the next section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Folkston residence. Tuition will also be a critical factor when evaluating potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not always the ideal option. There are many other factors that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are thinking about 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 all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the application 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 term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states mandate that you go through some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Folkston GA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many 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 formerly stated, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates
There are essentially two pathways offered to get 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 generally 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 trained in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you wish to specialize in just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Folkston GA business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you go with, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s certified by the Georgia Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, 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 Schools
Online cosmetology classes are advantageous for Folkston GA students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced because many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not spending many hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. However, it’s vital that the school you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Cosmetology Schools
Following is a list of questions that you will want to research for any beauty training program you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Folkston GA residence, together with the expense of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn 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 preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have collected some of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the cosmetology college you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 31537 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Folkston GA employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any cosmetologist institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Folkston GA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. And last, consult the Georgia 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 beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you decide on a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your goal 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 Folkston GA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Practicing and mastering cosmetology skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty school offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from a cosmetology program, it’s imperative that she or he gets support in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develope relationships with Folkston GA employers that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of cosmetology schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students as well. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an alternative until you determine what financial aid may be provided.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Folkston GA?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Folkston GA area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Folkston, Georgia
Folkston is a city in and the county seat of Charlton County, Georgia, United States.[6][7] Folkston is in the Jacksonville Metropolitan Area. The population was 4,148 as of the 2010 census,[8] up from 2,178 in 2000, largely due to the extension of the city boundary to include D. Ray James Prison.
Folkston was founded on August 19, 1911.[5] The city was named in honor of William Brandon Folks, M.D., a prominent physician and surgeon in his day. In the years 1925 - 1927, many new and commodious residences were built and several modern brick buildings were erected, including the Citizen Bank Block, the Masonic Temple building, a grammar-school building, and a courthouse. Shortly after its creation, the village of Folkston was incorporated as a town government and functioned as a town until 1911 when the area was incorporated as a city. For a number of years, Folkston was the self-proclaimed "Marriage Capital of the World;" Floridians who could not endure their state's waiting period before tying the knot would cross the state line to wed.
Folkston is located near the southern boundary of Georgia at 30°50′4″N 82°0′17″W / 30.83444°N 82.00472°W / 30.83444; -82.00472 (30.834437, -82.004829).[9] U.S. Routes 1, 23, and 301 pass through the city as Second Street, leading south 42 miles (68 km) to Jacksonville, Florida. Route 1 and 23 lead northwest 35 miles (56 km) to Waycross, while Route 301 leads north 55 miles (89 km) to Jesup. The eastern entrance to the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge is 11 miles (18 km) southwest of Folkston via GA 23 and GA 121.
Find the Right Beauty College near Folkston GA
Picking and enrolling in the right beauty program is essential to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Don’t forget to consolidate all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the institution and program you decide on are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, 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 examination, you will be confident that you are prepared to begin your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Folkston GA.
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