How to Find the Right Cosmetology College near Shelbyville Missouri
Once you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Shelbyville MO, the task begins to locate and enroll in the ideal school. It’s imperative that the school you pick not only provides the necessary education for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you might be rather unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a little bit further about that in the next segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Shelbyville residence. Tuition will likewise be an important factor when reviewing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not always the ideal choice. There are a number of other factors that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are offered.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more attractive with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really 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 type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Shelbyville MO beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles 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 already stated, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Degrees and Certificates
There are basically two pathways offered to receive cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically take 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree ordinarily takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you want to specialize in just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Shelbyville MO business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you choose, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s recognized by the Missouri Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following section.
Online Cosmetologist Schools
Online beauty schools are advantageous for Shelbyville MO students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based beauty school programs available that can be accessed through a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are typically fast paced since many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not spending numerous hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the program you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills needed 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.
Questions to Ask Cosmetology Programs
Below is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any beauty training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Shelbyville MO residence, in addition to the expense of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like 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 need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the cosmetology school you select 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 63469 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Shelbyville MO businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any cosmetology school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. 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, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Shelbyville MO salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And last, contact the Missouri school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Some cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing 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 important that you enroll in a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your dream is to open a hair salon in Shelbyville MO, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering cosmetology techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. Therefore search for other schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a beauty school, it’s essential that she or he receives support in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide aid develope relationships with Shelbyville MO businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher 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 beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might qualify 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 satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an option before you learn what financial assistance may be provided.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Shelbyville MO?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Shelbyville MO area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Shelbyville, Missouri
Shelbyville was platted in 1836.[7] Like the county in which it is located, Shelbyville was named for Governor Isaac Shelby of Kentucky.[8] A post office has been in operation at Shelbyville since 1836.[9]
As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 552 people, 240 households, and 151 families residing in the city. The population density was 707.7 inhabitants per square mile (273.2/km2). There were 279 housing units at an average density of 357.7 per square mile (138.1/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 98.4% White, 0.4% African American, 0.2% Native American, and 1.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.3% of the population.
There were 240 households of which 27.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.3% were married couples living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 37.1% were non-families. 33.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.85.
Enroll in the Right Beauty Training Program near Shelbyville MO
Finding and enrolling in the ideal cosmetology program is important to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to organize all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to start your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Shelbyville MO.
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