How to Pick a Beauty College near Marion Mississippi
Now that you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Marion MS, the task begins to search for and enroll in the ideal school. It’s essential that the program you choose not only furnishes the appropriate education for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you might be rather puzzled about the contrast 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 speak a little bit more about that in the following segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Marion home. Tuition will likewise be a critical aspect when assessing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the ideal option. There are a number of other considerations that you should weigh when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are available.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more attractive with the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you take some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Marion MS beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a customer base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles and work in a wide range of specialties including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As already mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Certificates and Degrees
There are essentially two pathways available to receive cosmetology training and a credential after 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 ordinarily 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 available if you prefer to focus on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also probably include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Marion MS business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you opt for, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s certified by the Mississippi Board of Cosmetology. Many states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming segment.
Online Cosmetologist Classes
Online cosmetology classes are convenient for Marion MS students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you’re not devoting numerous hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it’s important that the school you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Cosmetology Schools
Following is a list of questions that you will want to research for any cosmetologist training school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Marion MS residence, together with the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt 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 take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the cosmetology training program you pick 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 ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 39342 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Marion 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 a Great Reputation? Each cosmetologist college that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Marion MS salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. Finally, consult the Mississippi school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? A number of beauty schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you enroll in a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your intention 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 aspiration is to launch a hair salon in Marion MS, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Learning and refining cosmetology skills and techniques involves lots of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty academy provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a cosmetology academy, it’s important that she or he receives aid in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide aid develope relationships with Marion MS employers that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, ask 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 Available? Most cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students as well. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an option before you determine what financial help may be offered.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Marion MS?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Marion MS area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Marion, Mississippi
The town was named for Francis Marion, a military leader known as the "Swamp Fox".[2] Marion was Lauderdale County's seat from its founding to Reconstruction. Prior to the war, Marion was a prosperous town inhabited numerous planters and enslaved African Americans. In 1840, it had a drugstore, two blacksmith shops, six dry goods stores, and two academies (one for girls and another for boys). It also had at least one newspaper, the Lauderdale Republican.[3]
In 1850, Congress donated land to Alabama and Mississippi in order to build the Mobile & Ohio Railroad, which bypassed Marion and constructed a station two miles to the southwest in a village called McLemore's Old Field (now Meridian, Mississippi).[3] During the 1850s, land values in Lauderdale County increased by 176 percent, which allowed many non-slaveholding whites to purchase slaves to grow cotton, build roads, and clear the surrounding forests for cultivation. By 1860, Lauderdale County's enslaved population had more than doubled—a fact that fed support for secessionism after the election of Abraham Lincoln.[3] On February 16, 1864, U.S. Army forces commanded by General William T. Sherman raided Marion and destroyed the railroad connecting it to Meridian.[3] In 1870, voters opted to move the county seat from Marion to Meridian, which had expanded rapidly since the end of the Civil War.[3]
As of the census[6] of 2000, there were 1,305 people, 468 households, and 324 families residing in the town. The population density was 448.7 people per square mile (173.1/km²). There were 555 housing units at an average density of 190.8 per square mile (73.6/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 52.87% White, 45.82% African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.31% Asian, 0.15% from other races, and 0.61% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.69% of the population.
Find the Right Cosmetology Training Program near Marion MS
Finding and enrolling in the right beauty school is imperative to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to collect all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the college and program you choose are accredited and have exceptional 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 selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Marion MS.
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