How to Choose a Cosmetologist College near Powell Missouri
Now that you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Powell MO, the process begins to search for and enroll in the ideal school. It’s essential that the program you select not only furnishes the proper training for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be somewhat puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll speak a bit further regarding that in the following segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Powell home. Tuition will also be an important consideration when evaluating prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the best choice. There are a number of other factors that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are offered.
Defining Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more attractive with the application 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 can be almost 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 take some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Powell MO beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a customer base, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional names and work in a wide variety of specialties including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As previously mentioned, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Degrees
There are basically two options offered to get 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 call for 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you wish to focus on just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Powell MO business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you go with, it’s essential to make sure that it’s certified by the Missouri Board of Cosmetology. Many states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the following section.
Online Cosmetology Courses
Online cosmetology schools are convenient for Powell MO 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 online cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed through a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are often fast paced since many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not spending numerous hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it’s imperative that the training program you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Cosmetology Trade Schools
Below is a series of questions that you need to investigate for any beauty training program you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Powell MO home, as well as the price of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the cosmetology college you choose 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 measure up to their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 65730 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Powell MO businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably 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 outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials 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 connections with Powell MO salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. Finally, consult the Missouri school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Many beauty schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you pick a school that focuses on 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 dream is to start a hair salon in Powell MO, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and perfecting cosmetology techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty program offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. So look for other schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from a beauty school, it’s important that she or he gets help in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer assistance maintain relationships with Powell MO businesses that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, 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 regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? The majority of cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and identify 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 offered to students as well. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not drop it as an option before you determine what financial help may be offered.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Powell MO?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Powell MO area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Powell, Missouri
Powell is an unincorporated community in eastern McDonald County, Missouri, United States. It is located on Missouri Supplemental Route E about ten miles east of Pineville. It is located on Big Sugar Creek in a scenic area. The community includes some homes, a couple of businesses, and a post office. It is part of the Fayetteville–Springdale–Rogers, AR-MO Metropolitan Statistical Area. The 1915 Powell Bridge, a single-lane pin-connected Pratt through truss bridge, is 0.4 miles southwest of the community and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2011. A new bridge beside the 1915 structure handles all vehicular traffic while the old Powell Bridge serves as a pedestrian crossing.[1]
This community sits near the juncture of Big Sugar Creek and Mikes Creek. Powell was once a thriving community and still retains many remnants of this time. At one time it had multiple general stores, a blacksmith, a gas station, several churches and a watermill. One of its general store buildings still stands[1] and is occasionally in operation as is the Albert E. Brumley and Sons/Hartford Music Company, which has operated out of Powell since the 1940s.[2] Owned and operated by the late gospel composer Albert E. Brumley, the hymn and songbook publishing operation is now run by his son Robert Brumley.[3] Albert E. Brumley's best known song, "I'll Fly Away (hymn)" has been recorded by multiple Grammy Award winning musicians and even inspired the name of a television series. Brumley also started an annual, though now defunct, Hill and Hollow craft fair and concert in a field next to his house in Powell.[4] Through the years such celebrities as Minnie Pearl and Grandpa Jones, of country music and Hee Haw fame, performed at the venue. Brumley, along with his wife, the former Goldie Schell, are buried in Fox Cemetery just outside Powell, along with other local pioneers.[5] Several older structures still exist in the community, but are no longer in use, such as the First Baptist Church building, the Hill and Hollow exhibit hall and an old gas station.[1]
Choose the Right Cosmetology School near Powell MO
Choosing and enrolling in the right beauty college is important to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Don’t forget to organize all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you start with that base, 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 selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to begin your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Powell MO.
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