How to Pick a Beauty College near Mount Sterling Kentucky
Once you have decided to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Mount Sterling KY, the task starts to find and enroll in the ideal school. It’s imperative that the program you pick not only furnishes the proper training for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you may be somewhat puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a little bit more regarding that in the following section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Mount Sterling home. Tuition will additionally be an important aspect when evaluating potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not always the best choice. There are a number of other qualifications that you should weigh when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are available.
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more attractive through the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves 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 environments include not only Mount Sterling KY beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a client base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles and are employed in a wide variety of specializations including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As already stated, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Degrees
There are basically two options offered to get cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally 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 major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you prefer to specialize in just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Mount Sterling KY business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you choose, it’s essential to make sure that it’s recognized by the Kentucky Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the following section.
Online Beauty Schools
Online cosmetology schools are convenient for Mount Sterling KY students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs available that can be attended via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are often fast paced due to the fact 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 internet courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you’re not devoting many hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it’s important that the program you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Beauty Programs
Following is a list of questions that you need to investigate for any cosmetology training school you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Mount Sterling KY home, together with the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial 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 initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the cosmetology college you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 40353 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Mount Sterling KY businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every cosmetologist school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Mount Sterling KY salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. And last, contact the Kentucky school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Many beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you select a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your objective is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your vision is to launch a hair salon in Mount Sterling KY, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Studying and refining cosmetology techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty academy furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. So search for other schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from a beauty school, it’s essential that she or he receives aid in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid maintain relationships with Mount Sterling KY employers that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Almost all cosmetology schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Speak with 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 available to students also. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an option until you find out what financial assistance may be offered.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Mount Sterling KY?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Mount Sterling KY area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Mount Sterling, Kentucky
Mount Sterling – often written as Mt. Sterling[3] – is a home rule-class city[4] in Montgomery County, Kentucky, in the United States. The population was 6,895 at the 2010 U.S. census. It is the county seat of Montgomery County and the principal city of the Mount Sterling micropolitan area.
Mount Sterling is named for an ancient burial mound called Little Mountain, and for the town of Stirling in Scotland. It was named by the first developer of the area, Hugh Forbes. The Kentucky Assembly passed an act in 1792 establishing the town as Mt. Sterling, a misspelling which was retained.[5]
The area was originally part of the thick wilderness of central Kentucky. Explorers, hunters, and surveyors traveling along a trail called Old Harper's Trace noted a 125-foot-high tree-covered mound which they called The Little Mountain. Later excavations showed it to be a burial site. The site of the mound is now the intersection of Queen and Locust Streets in Mt. Sterling.
Pick the Right Cosmetology Program near Mount Sterling KY
Choosing and enrolling in the right cosmetologist school is imperative to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to compile all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are ready to begin your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Mount Sterling KY.
Other Beautiful Locations in Kentucky
Business Results 1 - 10 of 0
