How to Select a Cosmetology College near Marquette Iowa
Now that you have decided to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Marquette IA, the process starts to locate and enroll in the right school. It’s important that the school you select not only provides the appropriate education for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be somewhat puzzled about the difference 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 talk a bit more concerning that in the upcoming section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Marquette home. Tuition will additionally be an important aspect when reviewing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the best option. There are various other factors that you should weigh when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are offered.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more attractive through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term 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, most states require that you go through some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Marquette IA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many names and are employed in a wide range of specialties 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 a few states there is an exception. Only those performing 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.
Cosmetology Degrees and Certificates
There are essentially two options 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 commonly 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 available if you prefer to focus on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also probably include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Marquette IA 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 program you opt for, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s approved by the Iowa Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming segment.
Online Cosmetology Classes
Online cosmetology programs are accommodating for Marquette IA students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online beauty school programs offered that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are frequently fast paced because many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or commuting to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the training program you choose can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Cosmetologist Training Classes
Following is a list of questions that you should research for any cosmetologist training school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Marquette IA residence, together with the price of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the cosmetology school you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in 52158 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Marquette IA 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 Good Reputation? Each cosmetologist school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Marquette IA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. Finally, consult the Iowa school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important 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 dream is to start a hair salon in Marquette IA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and perfecting cosmetology skills and techniques involves plenty 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 program furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for developing your skills. Therefore look for other schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from a cosmetology school, it’s crucial that he or she gets support in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide aid develope relationships with Marquette IA employers that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations 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 regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? The majority of cosmetology schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may 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 meets each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not omit it as an option until you determine what financial assistance may be available.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Marquette IA?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Marquette IA area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Marquette, Iowa
Marquette is a city in Clayton County, Iowa, United States. The population was 375 at the 2010 census, down from 421 at the 2000 census. The city, which is located on the Mississippi River, is named after Jesuit missionary Jacques Marquette, who along with Louis Joliet discovered the Mississippi River just southeast of the city on June 17, 1673.
Marquette is located directly across from Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, and the two cities are connected by U.S. Highway 18, which crosses the river on the Marquette-Joliet Bridge. Effigy Mounds National Monument and the Yellow River State Forest are a few miles to the north. The city of McGregor, Iowa is located just to the south. Marquette itself was originally incorporated as North McGregor in 1874, and it served as a railroad terminus for its southern neighbor.
Along with McGregor, the city became a major hub on the railroad, as grain from throughout Iowa and Minnesota was sent through the city en route to Lake Michigan. Initially trains had to be ferried across the river between Marquette and Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, in order to continue their journey, but this system came to an end when Prairie du Chien businessman John Lawler had a permanent pontoon bridge built to connect the two cities' rail lines. Marquette subsequently became home to a major rail yard, which even as late as 1920 was the busiest in Iowa, employing 400 people. Not too long afterwards, the railroad's significance declined, the last passenger train stopped in Marquette in 1960, and the pontoon bridge was disassembled in 1961. Today the city is a tourist destination; the Casino Queen riverboat casino is located there.
Select the Right Beauty Vocational School near Marquette IA
Locating and enrolling in the ideal cosmetology program is imperative to get the proper 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. Make certain to organize all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you choose are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to begin your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Marquette IA.
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