Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools Asheville NC

How to Choose a Cosmetologist School near Asheville North Carolina

nail technicians training at Asheville NC beauty school Once you have decided to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Asheville NC, the process starts to find and enroll in the right school. It’s essential that the school you choose not only furnishes the necessary instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you might be somewhat confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll talk a little bit more concerning that in the upcoming segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Asheville home. Tuition will additionally be an important aspect when reviewing prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not always the ideal option. There are various other considerations that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are available.

Defining Cosmetology

Asheville NC makeup ar4tist applying makeup Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful through the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you take some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Asheville NC beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a clientele, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by 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 formerly mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Cosmetologist Certificates and Degrees

Asheville NC hairdresser cutting hair There are primarily two options available 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 normally 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 each of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you want to concentrate on just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Asheville NC business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you decide on, it’s important to make sure that it’s certified by the North Carolina Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming segment.

Online Cosmetology Programs

student attending cosmetology school online in Asheville NC Online beauty programs are accommodating for Asheville NC students who are working full-time and have family commitments that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools are frequently fast paced because many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you’re not spending numerous hours away from your home or driving to and from classes. However, it’s essential that the school you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Beauty Training Courses

Questions to ask Asheville NC beauty schools Below is a series of questions that you will want to look into for any cosmetology training school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Asheville NC residence, in addition to the expense of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced 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. Following we have collected some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the cosmetology college you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 28801 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Asheville NC businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every cosmetologist college that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. 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, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Asheville NC salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, 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 looked into. And finally, consult the North Carolina 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? Some beauty schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand 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 ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your aspiration is to open a hair salon in Asheville NC, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Practicing and mastering cosmetology skills and techniques involves lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. So try to find other schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from a beauty academy, it’s essential that she or he gets assistance in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide help develope relationships with Asheville NC businesses that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Many cosmetology schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students too. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not drop it as an alternative before you learn what financial help may be provided.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Asheville NC?

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

Asheville, North Carolina

Asheville is a city and the county seat of Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States.[6] It is the largest city in Western North Carolina, and the 12th-most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The city's population was 89,121 according to 2016 estimates.[7] It is the principal city in the four-county Asheville metropolitan area, with a population of 424,858 in 2010.[8]

Before the arrival of the Europeans, the land where Asheville now exists lay within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation.[9] In 1540,[10] Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto came to the area known as Guaxule,[11] bringing the first European visitors[10] along with European diseases, which seriously depleted the native population.[12] The area was used as an open hunting ground until the middle of the 19th century.[13]

The history of Asheville, as a town, began in 1784. In that year, Colonel Samuel Davidson and his family settled in the Swannanoa Valley, redeeming a soldier's land grant from the state of North Carolina. Soon after building a log cabin at the bank of Christian Creek, Davidson was lured into the woods by a band of Cherokee hunters and killed. Davidson's wife, child and female slave fled on foot overnight to Davidson's Fort (named after Davidson's father General John Davidson) 16 miles away.

Find the Right Cosmetologist Vocational School near Asheville NC

Asheville NC barber blow drying client's hair Selecting and enrolling in the ideal cosmetologist college is important to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to consolidate all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you pick are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and answer 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. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are ready to start your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Asheville NC.