How to Find the Right Beauty School near Belmont Mississippi
Once you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Belmont MS, the task starts to search for and enroll in the best school. It’s important that the school you select not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be rather confused 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 discuss a little bit more about that in the upcoming section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Belmont residence. Tuition will additionally be an important aspect when evaluating potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the right choice. There are various other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are available.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more beautiful through the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually 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, the majority of states mandate that you go through some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Belmont MS beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a customer base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many names and are employed in a wide range of specialties including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As earlier stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Degrees
There are primarily two avenues offered to obtain cosmetology training and a credential after 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 complete, while an Associate’s degree usually 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 wish 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 operate a salon or other Belmont MS business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you opt for, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s recognized by the Mississippi Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the next segment.
Online Cosmetologist Training
Online beauty schools are convenient for Belmont MS students who are employed full-time and have family commitments that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are typically fast paced because many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting many hours outside of your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the school you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Cosmetology Training Programs
Below is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any cosmetologist training program you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Belmont MS home, in addition to the cost of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the cosmetology training program 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 38827 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Belmont MS employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each beauty institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Belmont MS salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. Finally, consult the Mississippi school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Many cosmetology 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 typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential 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 well regarded for that program. If your dream is to start a hair salon in Belmont MS, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and perfecting cosmetology skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty classes 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 program provides limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. So look for other schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from a cosmetology academy, it’s essential that he or she gets assistance in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develope relationships with Belmont MS businesses that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Most beauty schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might get approved 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 with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an option before you determine what financial aid may be available.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Belmont MS?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Belmont MS area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Belmont, Mississippi
The settlement of Belmont was originally called Gum Springs with a post office built in 1884. After completion of the Birmingham Division of the Illinois Central Railroad in 1907 the town grew considerably. It was incorporated as Belmont (meaning "beautiful mountain") on January 22, 1908.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 4.7 square miles (12 km2), of which 4.7 square miles (12 km2) is land and 0.21% is water. The town is concentrated along Mississippi Highway 25 in southern Tishomingo County, a few miles west of the Mississippi-Alabama state line. Golden borders Belmont to the southeast, and Tishomingo lies a few miles to the north. Mississippi Highway 366 intersects MS 25 in Belmont, and continues southeastward through Golden to the state line, eventually becoming 4th Street in Red Bay, Alabama.
As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 1,961 people, 799 households, and 555 families residing in the town. The population density was 415.7 people per square mile (160.4/km²). There were 895 housing units at an average density of 189.7 per square mile (73.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 92.71% White, 0.56% African American, 6.22% from other races, and 0.51% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.11% of the population.
Select the Right Cosmetology College near Belmont MS
Picking and enrolling in the right cosmetology school is imperative to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Don’t forget to collect all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare 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 impressive reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to start your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Belmont MS.
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