Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools Valley Stream NY

How to Enroll In a Cosmetology School near Valley Stream New York

nail technicians training at Valley Stream NY beauty school Once you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Valley Stream NY, the process starts to find and enroll in the best school. It’s essential that the school you choose not only provides the appropriate education for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you may be a little bit unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll talk a bit more concerning that in the following section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Valley Stream residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical consideration when evaluating possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not always the right choice. There are many other considerations that you should weigh when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are available.

Defining Cosmetology

Valley Stream NY makeup ar4tist applying makeup Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you go through some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Valley Stream NY beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles 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 earlier stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, such as 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.

Cosmetology Degrees and Certificates

Valley Stream NY hairdresser cutting hair There are primarily two options offered to obtain cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, 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 main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you want to concentrate on just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Valley Stream NY business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you decide on, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s certified by the New York Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the next segment.

Online Beauty Classes

student attending cosmetology school online in Valley Stream NY Online beauty programs are advantageous for Valley Stream NY students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced because many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not spending many hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the school you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Beauty Training Courses

Questions to ask Valley Stream NY beauty schools Below is a list of questions that you should look into for any beauty training school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Valley Stream NY home, in addition to the expense of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn 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 additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled some of those additional 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 college 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 meet their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 11580 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Valley Stream NY businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every cosmetology school that you are seriously considering 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 employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Valley Stream NY salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And last, consult the New York 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 Focus? Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you decide on a school that specializes in 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 respected for that program. If your dream is to launch a hair salon in Valley Stream NY, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and perfecting cosmetology skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. So try to find other 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 first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide aid develope relationships with Valley Stream NY businesses that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most beauty 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 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 also. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not drop it as an alternative until you find out what financial help may be available.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Valley Stream NY?

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

Valley Stream, New York

The incorporated Village of Valley Stream is inside the southwest part of the town of Hempstead, along the border with Queens. The village is served by the Long Island Rail Road at the Valley Stream station, located at Sunrise Highway and Franklin Avenue. It is also served by the Gibson station at Gibson and Munro boulevards, but only along the Far Rockaway Branch.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 3.5 square miles (9.1 km2), of which 3.4 square miles (8.8 km2) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km2), or 0.86%, is water.

In the year 1640, 14 years after the arrival of Dutch colonists in Manhattan (New Amsterdam), the area that is now Valley Stream was purchased by the Dutch West India Company from Rockaway Native Americans (they were a Lenape, or Delaware, band, known by the place where they lived).

Select the Right Cosmetology Training Program near Valley Stream NY

Valley Stream NY barber blow drying client's hair Finding and enrolling in the ideal cosmetologist program is essential to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Make certain to collect all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the academy and program you select are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to begin your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Valley Stream NY.