How to Pick a Cosmetology School near Irvington Kentucky
Now that you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Irvington KY, the task starts to find and enroll in the best school. It’s essential that the program you select not only furnishes the necessary instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may be rather unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll talk a bit more regarding that in the next segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Irvington home. Tuition will also be an important aspect when reviewing possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not always the right choice. There are many other qualifications that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding 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 types of training programs are available.
Defining Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states mandate that you take some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Irvington KY beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles and work in a wide range of specializations including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As already stated, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those offering 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.
Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates
There are primarily two pathways available to receive 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 take 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 each of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you want to focus on just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Irvington KY business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you decide on, it’s essential to make sure that it’s certified by the Kentucky Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming section.
Online Beauty Courses
Online beauty classes are convenient for Irvington KY students who are working full-time and have family commitments that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs available that can be accessed via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are frequently fast paced given that many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not devoting many hours away from your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the school you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Cosmetologist Trade Schools
Following is a list of questions that you will want to look into for any cosmetologist training school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Irvington KY residence, as well as the expense of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have put together several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the cosmetology school 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 measure up to their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 40146 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Irvington KY employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every cosmetologist institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Irvington KY salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. Finally, consult the Kentucky school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Some beauty schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you select 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 well regarded for that program. If your vision is to launch a hair salon in Irvington KY, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and perfecting cosmetology skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty school provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. Therefore search for other schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from a cosmetology program, it’s imperative that he or she gets assistance in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid develope relationships with Irvington KY employers that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify 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. Higher rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Almost all beauty schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school belongs to 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 expense, do not omit it as an alternative until you find out what financial assistance may be offered.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Irvington KY?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Irvington KY area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Irvington, Kentucky
The local post office was first established as Merino (for the nearby Mt. Merino Seminary) on February 16, 1885. However, two area businessmen, R.M. Jolly and Edgar L. Bennett, anticipating the route of the Louisville, St. Louis, and Texas Railroad, purchased 315 acres (127 ha) of farmland at the site and then, with the help of the railroad's employees, platted a new community over the 1888–89 winter. This was named for Irvington, New York, the hometown of the railroad's chief engineer, Eugene Cornwall.[5][6] Irvington was formally incorporated by the state assembly in 1889.[7]
As of the census[9] of 2000, there were 1,257 people, 512 households, and 345 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,166.0 people per square mile (449.4/km²). There were 545 housing units at an average density of 505.5 per square mile (194.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 83.93% White, 14.40% African American, 0.40% Native American, 0.32% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 0.08% from other races, and 0.80% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.03% of the population.
There were 512 households out of which 33.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.7% were married couples living together, 18.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.6% were non-families. 29.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.01.
Enroll in the Right Cosmetology College near Irvington KY
Locating and enrolling in the ideal beauty school is important to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to collect all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you choose are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to start your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Irvington KY.
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