How to Choose a Beauty College near Helena Missouri
Since you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Helena MO, the task starts to locate and enroll in the best school. It’s important that the school you pick not only furnishes the necessary instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may be somewhat unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a little bit further regarding that in the upcoming section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Helena home. Tuition will also be a critical consideration when assessing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the best option. There are many other qualifications that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as 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 talk 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 anatomy look more attractive through the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you undergo some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Helena MO 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 clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by 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 already stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Degrees and Certificates
There are primarily two avenues offered to obtain 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 typically 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 all of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you wish to concentrate on just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Helena MO business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you opt for, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s recognized by the Missouri Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following section.
Online Cosmetology Courses
Online beauty schools are advantageous for Helena MO students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs offered that can be accessed through a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools are often fast paced because many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the school you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Beauty Training Programs
Below is a series of questions that you will want to look into for any cosmetologist training school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Helena MO residence, as well as the cost of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have collected several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the cosmetology training program you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized 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 can also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 64459 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Helena MO businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every cosmetology school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Helena MO salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. Finally, check with the Missouri school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted 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, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you pick a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your ambition 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 Helena MO, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and refining cosmetology techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on volunteers. 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 allow students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. So look for other schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a beauty academy, it’s essential that she or he gets assistance in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with Helena MO employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Most cosmetology schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Speak with 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 accessible to students also. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an alternative until you learn what financial assistance may be offered.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Helena MO?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Helena MO area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Helena, Missouri
Helena is an unincorporated community in southeastern Andrew County, Missouri, United States.[1] It is located approximately twelve miles northeast of St. Joseph and is part of the St. Joseph, MO–KS Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Choose the Right Cosmetologist Vocational School near Helena MO
Locating and enrolling in the ideal cosmetology program is important to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Don’t forget to compile all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you choose are accredited and have outstanding 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 right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are ready to begin your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Helena MO.
Other Beautiful Locations in Missouri
Business Results 1 - 10 of 1
1 Reviews 