How to Choose a Cosmetologist College near Helena Georgia
Since you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Helena GA, the task begins to locate and enroll in the best school. It’s essential that the school you select not only furnishes the proper training for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you may be a little bit unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a bit further regarding that in the following segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Helena home. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when evaluating prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not always the ideal choice. There are many other qualifications that you should evaluate when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are offered.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be almost anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you go through some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Helena GA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a client base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing 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 work in a wide variety of specialties including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As formerly mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Certificates and Degrees
There are essentially two options offered to receive 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 normally take 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 all of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you wish to specialize in just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Helena GA business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you decide on, it’s important to make sure that it’s certified by the Georgia Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the next section.
Online Beauty Courses
Online beauty programs are accommodating for Helena GA students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended through a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are often fast paced given that many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the training program you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Cosmetology Programs
Following is a series of questions that you will want to research for any beauty training school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Helena GA home, together with the expense of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably 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 must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the cosmetology school you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized 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 ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 31037 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Helena GA businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any cosmetologist school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. 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, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Helena GA salon owners or managers, or anyone 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 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 Focus? Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically 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 intention 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 desire is to start a hair salon in Helena GA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and refining cosmetology techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty academy provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a beauty program, it’s crucial that she or he gets aid in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer aid maintain relationships with Helena GA businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Most beauty schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and identify 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 offered to students too. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not omit it as an alternative before you find out what financial aid may be available.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Helena GA?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Helena GA area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Helena, Georgia
Helena was a city in Telfair and Wheeler counties in the U.S. state of Georgia. The population was 2,883 at the 2010 census, up from 2,307 in 2000 and 1,256 in 1990. The population increase accompanied establishment of the McRae Correctional Institution, which provided new jobs. The prison population is counted as well. On January 1, 2015, Helena and the adjacent city (and Telfair County seat) of McRae merged to form McRae-Helena.
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 2,307 people, 520 households, and 322 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,092.3 people per square mile (422.2/km²). There were 603 housing units at an average density of 285.5 per square mile (110.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 42.35% White, 54.18% African American, 0.39% Asian, 2.43% from other races, and 0.65% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.42% of the population.
There were 520 households out of which 30.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.1% were married couples living together, 20.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.9% were non-families. 34.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 3.04.
Find the Right Beauty College near Helena GA
Locating and enrolling in the right cosmetology college is essential to obtain the proper 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. Don’t forget to organize all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the academy and program you pick are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, 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 proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to start your career as a professional cosmetologist in Helena GA.
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