How to Find the Right Cosmetologist School near Lake Station Indiana
Once you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Lake Station IN, the task begins to search for and enroll in the best school. It’s imperative that the school you pick not only provides the necessary instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be a little bit unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a little bit further regarding that in the upcoming section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Lake Station residence. Tuition will also be a critical consideration when assessing potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the right option. There are a number of other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing 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 discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are available.
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more attractive with the use 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 really a cosmetic may be almost anything that enhances 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 become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Lake Station IN beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a clientele, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have 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 earlier mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, such as 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.
Cosmetology Degrees
There are essentially two avenues offered to obtain cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually call for 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 instructed in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Lake Station IN business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you choose, it’s important to make sure that it’s approved by the Indiana Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the next section.
Online Cosmetologist Courses
Online beauty schools are advantageous for Lake Station IN students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed through a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are typically fast paced because many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not spending many hours away from your home or driving to and from classes. However, it’s vital that the school you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Cosmetology Training Courses
Below is a series of questions that you will want to research for any cosmetologist training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Lake Station IN home, as well as the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the cosmetology training program you select 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in 46405 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Lake Station IN employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every cosmetology institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Lake Station IN salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And last, consult the Indiana 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 Focus? A number of beauty schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you choose a school that specializes in 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 well regarded for that program. If your dream is to open a hair salon in Lake Station IN, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering cosmetology skills and techniques involves lots 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 site that allow students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on using mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for developing your skills. Therefore search for other schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a cosmetology school, it’s imperative that she or he receives assistance in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide help develope relationships with Lake Station IN employers that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments 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 regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Many beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and find out 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 available to students too. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you find out what financial aid may be provided.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Lake Station IN?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Lake Station IN area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Lake Station, Indiana
Initially, the site of modern Lake Station was the starting point of two Amerind trails leading to Fort Dearborn.[7] Later it became an early stagecoach depot stop, as the Fort Dearborn-Detroit Stagecoach Route passed through the site during the wet season.[7] The location became known as Lake Station as far back as 1851 when it began to serve as a depot, the western terminus of the Michigan Central Railroad[7] (on what would later become its Detroit to Chicago line). This was the first train station in Lake County.[7] The Michigan Central Railroad built a park and railroad shops around its two-story depot.[7] A year later, in April 1852, George Earle mapped out and platted a town[7] of about 6,500 acres (26 km2) on the site, continuing its name of Lake Station.
Being a bedroom community, Lake Station welcomed Abraham Lincoln to its Audubon Hotel, perhaps on more than one occasion, according to oral history. But George Pullman, who tried to negotiate for land in Lake Station for his proposed railcar company, never struck a deal and set up shop on the south side of Chicago instead. Prior to its current location in Crown Point, Indiana, the county seat was located on what is now the west end of Lake Station in a section called Liverpool, although it was a separate settlement at the time.
The name of Lake Station was officially changed to East Gary in 1908 in an attempt to lure executives from the nearby US Steel plant in Gary, Indiana into creating a suburban community. With another name change in 1977, primarily to disassociate itself from the urban decay and crime of Gary, the city reverted to its historical designation of Lake Station.
Choose the Right Cosmetology Program near Lake Station IN
Locating and enrolling in the right beauty college is imperative to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Make certain to collect all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the academy and program you decide on are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are ready to start your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Lake Station IN.
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