Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools Birmingham MI

How to Enroll In a Cosmetology College near Birmingham Michigan

nail technicians training at Birmingham MI beauty school Since you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Birmingham MI, the task begins to find and enroll in the right school. It’s essential that the school you choose not only provides the necessary training for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be rather unclear about the difference 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 discuss a bit further regarding that in the next section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Birmingham home. Tuition will likewise be an important aspect when reviewing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the right choice. There are many other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are available.

What is Cosmetology

Birmingham MI makeup ar4tist applying makeup Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more attractive with the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you undergo some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Birmingham MI beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many professional names and work in a wide variety of specializations including:

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

As formerly mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, for example 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.

Cosmetology Certificates and Degrees

Birmingham MI hairdresser cutting hair There are basically two avenues offered to receive 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 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 main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also probably include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Birmingham MI business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you go with, it’s important to make sure that it’s recognized by the Michigan Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following segment.

Online Cosmetology Courses

student attending cosmetology school online in Birmingham MI Online cosmetology schools are convenient for Birmingham MI students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools are typically fast paced since many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not devoting many hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it’s important that the training program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. 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 Beauty Programs

Questions to ask Birmingham MI beauty schools Below is a series of questions that you should research for any cosmetologist training school you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Birmingham MI home, together with the cost of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have collected some of those supplemental 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 training program you enroll in 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 48009 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Birmingham MI employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each cosmetologist institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Birmingham MI salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. And finally, contact the Michigan school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of beauty 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 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 objective is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your desire is to start a hair salon in Birmingham MI, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.

Is Any Live Training Provided? Learning and refining cosmetology skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology lessons 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 provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. Therefore search for other schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a cosmetology academy, it’s important that she or he gets support in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with Birmingham MI businesses that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Most cosmetology schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students too. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you find out what financial help may be provided.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Birmingham MI?

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

Birmingham, Michigan

Birmingham is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located in the Woodward Corridor, between Royal Oak and Bloomfield Hills. As of the 2010 census, the population was 20,103.[8]

The area comprising what is now the city of Birmingham was part of land ceded by Native American tribes to the United States government by the 1807 Treaty of Detroit.[9] However, settlement was delayed, first by the War of 1812. Afterward the Surveyor-General of the United States, Edward Tiffin, made an unfavorable report regarding the placement of Military Bounty Lands for veterans of the War of 1812.[10][11] Tiffin's report claimed that, because of marsh, in this area "There would not be an acre out of a hundred, if there would be one out of a thousand that would, in any case, admit cultivation." In 1818, Territorial Governor Lewis Cass led a group of men along the Indian Trail. The governor's party discovered that the swamp was not as extensive as Tiffin had supposed. Not long after Cass issued a more encouraging report about the land, interest quickened as to its suitability for settlement.

The earliest land entry was made on January 28, 1819, by Colonel Benjamin Kendrick Pierce (brother of future U.S. President Franklin Pierce) for the northwest quarter of section 36. Colonel Pierce visited his land several times, but never settled on it.[12] In March 1818, John W. Hunter and his brother Daniel left Auburn, New York, by sleigh and traveled to Michigan by way of Upper Canada. They waited in Detroit for their father and other family members, who arrived by schooner via Lake Erie in July. The family remained in Detroit until spring 1819, when Hunter made an entry for the northeast quarter of section 36, now in the southeast section of current-day Birmingham. Lacking a proper land survey, Hunter mistakenly built his log house on a tract later purchased by Elijah Willets. That house was later occupied by William Hall, a son-in-law of Elisha Hunter, while John W. Hunter built another log house a short distance to the southeast. On September 25, 1821, Elijah Willets made a land entry for the southwest quarter of section 25. Two days later, Major John Hamilton made an entry for the southeast quarter of section 25. Each of these initial land entries met at what is now the intersection of Maple Road and Pierce Street.

Enroll in the Right Cosmetologist Program near Birmingham MI

Birmingham MI barber blow drying client's hair Finding and enrolling in the right cosmetologist college is imperative to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to compile all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the academy and program you decide on are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are qualified to begin your career as a professional cosmetologist in Birmingham MI.