Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools Shutesbury MA

How to Pick a Cosmetologist School near Shutesbury Massachusetts

nail technicians training at Shutesbury MA beauty school Since you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Shutesbury MA, the process starts to find and enroll in the best school. It’s imperative that the school you pick not only furnishes the proper instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you may be rather 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 type of school. We’ll discuss a bit more concerning that in the following section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Shutesbury residence. Tuition will also be an important consideration when evaluating prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the right option. There are a number of other qualifications that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding 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.

Defining Cosmetology

Shutesbury MA makeup ar4tist applying makeup Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more attractive with the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic can be anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you undergo some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Shutesbury MA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles and are employed in a wide variety of specialties including:

Hairdressers
Hairstylists
Beauticians
Barbers
Manicurists
Nail Technicians
Makeup Artists
Hair Coloring Specialists
Estheticians
Electrolysis Technicians

As earlier stated, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Cosmetology Degrees and Certificates

Shutesbury MA hairdresser cutting hair There are basically two options offered 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 normally take 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you prefer to specialize in just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Shutesbury MA business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you choose, it’s essential to make sure that it’s approved by the Massachusetts Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the next section.

Online Cosmetology Programs

student attending cosmetology school online in Shutesbury MA Online beauty classes are accommodating for Shutesbury MA students who are working full time and have family commitments that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs available that can be attended by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are often fast paced because many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not devoting many hours away from your home or commuting to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the training program you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Beauty Programs

Questions to ask Shutesbury MA beauty schools Following is a series of questions that you need to research for any beauty training school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Shutesbury MA home, as well as the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the cosmetology school you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 01072 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Shutesbury MA employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each cosmetology school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Shutesbury MA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. Finally, check with the Massachusetts school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Many beauty schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you choose a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your objective is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your dream is to open a hair salon in Shutesbury MA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Studying and refining cosmetology skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty school provides limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore look 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 essential that he or she receives aid in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with Shutesbury MA employers that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are contemplating 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. High rates not only verify 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 reviewing have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and find out 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 available to students too. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not omit it as an option until you find out what financial aid may be available.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Shutesbury MA?

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

Shutesbury, Massachusetts

For at least 2,000 years, Nipmuc towns along the Towanucksett and Quinneticut Rivers called the area covering what are now South Shutesbury, NE Amherst and parts of Pelham "Sanakkamak", meaning "difficult land", according to the Indian Land Archives of Springfield (1660–1835), now housed at Cornell University. According to the same archives (pages 31–33), the land was named Sanakkamak "on accord of its many ponds, swamps, and streams" leading to steep slopes of Kunckquatchu (Mt. Toby) and Quaquatchu (Brushy Hill). The northern parts of Shutesbury, as well as parts of Belchertown and Pelham along the former Swift River (now Quabbin Reservoir), were called "Kingyiwngwalak", meaning "Upturned land" due to the heavily titled bedrock of the area and many steep ravines draining to the east and south (Indian Land Archives of Springfield, Cornell Univ.).

Indian Land Deed Archives record that the land was used for hunting, fishing and collecting wild staples, such as chestnuts, hopniss (Indian potato, Apios americana), blackberries, blueberries, service berries, sunflower root, and for cutting timber. Sachems holding rights to the land in Shutesbury specifically inserted a clause in the deeds that "they, their descendants and assigns retain the right to hunt, fish and take wood from the lands they have thus deeded, and the English shall not prohibit them from taking wood and fish, and shall be friendly and neighborly toward them" (edited for modern spelling).

Shutesbury was colonized in 1735, when it was called Road Town, because the original request by Colonists to Boston was to build a road in a roadless area. Road Town was officially incorporated as Shutesbury in 1761. The town was renamed in honor of Samuel Shute, former governor. Town building requirements initially required each Colonist family to clear four acres of forest and plant grazing grasses. After the Revolution, the entire area and most of Massachusetts were clear-cut and sheep grazing predominated during the brief textiles boom, which was overshadowed by wool production in the West, Australia, and New Zealand (Massachusetts Historical Preservation Commission publication online). Only after the Civil War period was the area largely reforested. Croplands have shrunk steadily in the period since then, being the most at-risk land category in the Town Master Plan. Post-1960, croplands in Shutesbury saw sharp reduction, while residential has remained the fastest-growing land use type since. Forest cover is the second largest sector of land use loss since 1960 and remains so, after croplands. Population has risen since 1960, with several short periods of population loss.

Enroll in the Right Cosmetology Vocational School near Shutesbury MA

Shutesbury MA barber blow drying client's hair Finding and enrolling in the ideal cosmetologist college is important to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Don’t forget to compile all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the institution and program you select are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, 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 proper choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to launch your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Shutesbury MA.