Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools West Point GA

How to Choose a Cosmetology College near West Point Georgia

nail technicians training at West Point GA beauty school Once you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near West Point GA, the task starts to find and enroll in the right school. It’s important that the school you select not only provides the necessary training for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you might be a little bit confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a little bit further regarding that in the upcoming section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your West Point home. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when reviewing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the right option. There are a number of other factors that you should weigh when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are considering later in 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

West Point GA makeup ar4tist applying makeup Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you take some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only West Point GA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many names and work 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 must be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Cosmetology Degrees and Certificates

West Point GA hairdresser cutting hair There are primarily two avenues offered to obtain cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally take 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in all of the major 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 incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other West Point GA business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you go with, it’s essential to make sure that it’s approved by the Georgia Board of Cosmetology. Many states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next segment.

Online Cosmetologist Training

student attending cosmetology school online in West Point GA Online cosmetology classes are accommodating for West Point GA students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are typically fast paced because many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or commuting to and from classes. However, it’s imperative that the training program you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Cosmetologist Training Courses

Questions to ask West Point GA beauty schools Below is a series of questions that you should research for any cosmetologist training school you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your West Point GA residence, in addition to the price of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish 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 even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled 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 certain that the cosmetology training program you pick 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 comply with their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in 31833 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous West Point GA businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every beauty institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with West Point GA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. Finally, consult the Georgia school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you select a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your aspiration is to start a hair salon in West Point GA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and refining cosmetology techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology 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 instead depends predominantly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. So look for other schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from a beauty program, it’s essential that he or she receives aid in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develope relationships with West Point GA employers that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Almost all beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating 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 accessible to students too. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an option until you find out what financial assistance may be available.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near West Point GA?

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

West Point, Georgia

West Point is a city in Troup and Harris counties in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 3,474,[4] and in 2015 the estimated population was 3,728.[5] Most of the city is in Troup County, which is part of the LaGrange Micropolitan Statistical Area, and hence part of the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA Combined Statistical Area. A sliver in the south is in Harris County, which is part of the Columbus Metropolitan Statistical Area.

The city's present name comes from its being near the westernmost point of the Chattahoochee River, where the river turns from its southwesterly flow from the Appalachian Mountains to due south – for all practical purposes – and forms the boundary with Alabama. The large nearby reservoir, West Point Lake, was created by the Army Corps of Engineers by the building of the West Point Dam, for water storage and hydroelectric power generation. The reservoir stores water which can be released during dry seasons, in order to maintain the water level of the navigable inland waterway from Columbus, Georgia, south to the Gulf of Mexico.

During the late spring of 2003, there was a flood caused by extremely heavy rainfall and thunderstorms upstream of the West Point Dam; the weather caused the water level in the reservoir to come close to overflowing the top of the dam. There were allegations of poor forecasting by the Corps of Engineers of the reservoir's water levels.[citation needed] The flood water would have overflowed the dam had a large amount of water not been released though the spillway of the dam. Whereas this prevented the catastrophic failure of the West Point Dam, the city endured a flood much more severe than any other in the time since the dam had been built.

Enroll in the Right Cosmetologist Vocational School near West Point GA

West Point GA barber blow drying client's hair Selecting and enrolling in the ideal cosmetology college is essential to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to collect all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to contrast schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the school and program you select are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions presented 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 begin your career as a professional cosmetologist in West Point GA.