How to Choose a Cosmetologist School near Jamestown New York
Once you have decided to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Jamestown NY, the task starts to search for and enroll in the best school. It’s important that the program you pick not only provides the necessary instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you might be a little bit confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a little bit more regarding that in the following segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Jamestown home. Tuition will additionally be a critical factor when evaluating potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the right choice. There are several other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for example 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 little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are available.
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more attractive through the use 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 word cosmetics, but really 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 require that you take some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Jamestown NY beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing 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 range of specializations including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As already mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Degrees and Certificates
There are essentially two pathways offered to obtain cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically require 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree usually 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 prefer to focus on just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Jamestown NY business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you opt for, it’s important to make certain that it’s certified by the New York Board of Cosmetology. Many states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the next segment.
Online Cosmetology Training
Online cosmetology programs are advantageous for Jamestown NY students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are typically fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a large 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 commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the program you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Beauty Schools
Below is a series of questions that you will want to look into for any beauty training school you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Jamestown NY home, as well as the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed 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 school. Below we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make certain that the cosmetology training program you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged 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 typically are not offered in 14701 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 Jamestown NY businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each cosmetologist institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Check rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Jamestown NY salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. And finally, check with the New York school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full 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, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you select a school that focuses on 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 desire is to start a hair salon in Jamestown NY, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Learning and perfecting cosmetology skills and techniques involves lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program provides little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. So look for alternate schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from a beauty program, it’s imperative that he or she gets help in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develope relationships with Jamestown NY employers that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Many beauty schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Talk to 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 available to students also. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not discard it as an alternative until you determine what financial assistance may be available.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Jamestown NY?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Jamestown NY area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Jamestown, New York
Jamestown is a city in southern Chautauqua County, New York, United States. The population was 31,146 at the 2010 census. Situated between Lake Erie to the northwest and the Allegheny National Forest to the south, Jamestown is the largest population center in the county. Nearby Chautauqua Lake is a freshwater resource used by fishermen, boaters and naturalists.
Notable people from Jamestown include comedian Lucille Ball, U.S. Supreme Court justice and Nuremberg chief prosecutor Robert H. Jackson, naturalist Roger Tory Peterson, singer Natalie Merchant, and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. Products developed in Jamestown include the crescent wrench and automatic voting machines.
Jamestown was once called the "Furniture Capital of the World" where people visited from all over the country to attend furniture expositions at the Furniture Mart, a building that still stands in the city and houses offices for a variety of companies.
Select the Right Cosmetology Vocational School near Jamestown NY
Picking and enrolling in the ideal cosmetologist college is essential to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to organize all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the college and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are ready to launch your career as a professional cosmetologist in Jamestown NY.
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