How to Pick a Cosmetology School near Concordia Kansas

Once you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Concordia KS, the task begins to find and enroll in the ideal school. It’s essential that the program you select not only furnishes the proper training for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be somewhat puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a bit more about that in the next segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Concordia residence. Tuition will additionally be an important consideration when reviewing possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not always the ideal option. There are a number of other considerations that you should weigh when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are available.

Definition of Cosmetology

Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more attractive through the application of cosmetics. So naturally 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 really a cosmetic can be almost anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you take some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Concordia KS beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a customer base, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many titles 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 already mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Cosmetologist Certificates and Degrees

There are primarily two pathways available to get 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 generally require 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 trained in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you want to specialize in just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Concordia KS business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you choose, it’s important to make certain that it’s approved by the Kansas Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the next segment.

Online Cosmetologist Classes

Online cosmetology classes are accommodating for Concordia KS students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are many online cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are often fast paced given that many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not spending many hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the program you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Cosmetology Schools

Following is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any cosmetology training program you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Concordia KS home, together with the expense of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected several of those supplemental 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 college you choose 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 meet their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in 66901 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Concordia KS businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation?  Any beauty school that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Concordia KS 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 considered. And finally, consult the Kansas school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty?  Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering 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 imperative that you pick a school that specializes in 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 Concordia KS, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.

Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided?  Learning and mastering cosmetology techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty school offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  As soon as a student graduates from a cosmetology academy, it’s imperative that she or he receives aid in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide aid maintain relationships with Concordia KS businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered?  The majority of beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students also. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not omit it as an option before you determine what financial aid may be provided.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Concordia KS?

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

Choose the Right Cosmetology School near Concordia KS

Finding and enrolling in the right beauty school is important to receive the necessary 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. Be sure to consolidate all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the institution and program you pick are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are prepared to launch your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Concordia KS.

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