How to Select a Beauty College near Slater Missouri

Now that you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Slater MO, the process begins to find and enroll in the best school. It’s important that the school you pick not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be a little bit confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a little bit further about that in the upcoming section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Slater home. Tuition will also be an important consideration when evaluating prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not always the right option. There are various other qualifications that you should weigh when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are available.

Defining Cosmetology

Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more attractive with the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic can be anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states mandate that you undergo some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Slater MO beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many names and are employed in a wide variety of specializations including:

• Hairdressers
• Hairstylists
• Beauticians
• Barbers
• Manicurists
• Nail Technicians
• Makeup Artists
• Hair Coloring Specialists
• Estheticians
• Electrolysis Technicians

As already mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those conducting 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 become licensed in those states.

Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates

There are basically two options offered to receive cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally 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 instructed in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you prefer to focus on just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Slater MO business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you decide on, it’s important to make certain that it’s recognized by the Missouri Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming section.

Online Beauty Schools

Online beauty classes are convenient for Slater MO students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools 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 dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not spending numerous hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the school you choose can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Cosmetology Training Courses

Following is a series of questions that you should investigate for any cosmetology training program you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Slater MO home, as well as the cost of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn 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 additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have collected several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 65349 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Slater MO employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation?  Each cosmetologist college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Slater MO salon owners or managers, or any person 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 looked into. Finally, consult the Missouri school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus?  Many beauty schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you pick a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your goal is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your vision is to open a hair salon in Slater 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 provide the training you need.

Is Enough Live Training Provided?  Studying and refining cosmetology techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty program furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  Once a student graduates from a cosmetology school, it’s important that he or she receives support in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer aid maintain relationships with Slater MO employers that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Available?  Most cosmetology schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and identify 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 available to students as well. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not drop it as an option before you find out what financial help may be offered.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Slater MO?

If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Slater MO area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.

Choose the Right Cosmetologist College near Slater MO

Finding and enrolling in the right beauty college is essential to receive the proper 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 collect 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 contrast schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are ready to launch your career as a professional cosmetologist in Slater MO.

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