Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools Carrboro NC

How to Pick a Cosmetology College near Carrboro North Carolina

nail technicians training at Carrboro NC beauty school Once you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Carrboro NC, the process starts to find and enroll in the ideal school. It’s essential that the program you pick not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be rather puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a bit further regarding that in the following segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Carrboro residence. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when evaluating possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not always the best choice. There are several other qualifications that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are available.

Definition of Cosmetology

Carrboro NC makeup ar4tist applying makeup Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you undergo some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Carrboro NC beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a customer base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many titles and are employed in a wide range of specialties including:

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

As earlier stated, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Cosmetology Degrees

Carrboro NC hairdresser cutting hair There are primarily two avenues 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 generally take 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Carrboro NC 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 decide on, it’s important to make sure that it’s approved by the North Carolina Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next section.

Online Cosmetology Schools

student attending cosmetology school online in Carrboro NC Online beauty programs are advantageous for Carrboro NC students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online beauty school programs available that can be attended through a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are often fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not devoting many hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it’s important that the training program you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Beauty Training Classes

Questions to ask Carrboro NC beauty schools Following is a series of questions that you need to look into for any cosmetologist training school you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Carrboro NC residence, together with the expense of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like 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 initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the cosmetology college you pick 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 assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 27510 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Carrboro NC businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every cosmetologist school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Carrboro NC salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. Finally, check with the North Carolina school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Many beauty schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you enroll in 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 vision is to open a hair salon in Carrboro NC, then you want 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 deliver the training you require.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and refining cosmetology skills and techniques involves plenty 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 campus that enable students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty school provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for developing your skills. Therefore look for other schools that offer this type 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 initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance maintain relationships with Carrboro NC businesses that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, 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 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. Consult with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students too. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an alternative before you determine what financial assistance may be offered.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Carrboro NC?

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

Carrboro, North Carolina

Carrboro is a town in Orange County in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The population was 19,582 at the 2010 census.[5] The town, which is part of the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill combined statistical area, was named after North Carolina industrialist Julian Shakespeare Carr.

Located directly west of Chapel Hill, home of the University of North Carolina's flagship campus, Carrboro has a reputation as one of the most progressive communities in the Southeastern United States. It was the first municipality in North Carolina to elect an openly gay mayor, Mike Nelson, in 1995 and the first municipality in the state to grant domestic-partner benefits to same-sex couples. In October 2002, Carrboro was among the first municipalities in the South to adopt resolutions opposing the Iraq War and the USA PATRIOT Act.

The history of Carrboro is similar to the history of many mill towns in North Carolina and largely parallels the histories of the State University Railroad and the Alberta Cotton Mill. Located just west of Chapel Hill, Carrboro was originally known as West End. It was settled in 1882 near the railway depot at the terminus of the 10.2 mile State University Railroad spur from University Station in Glenn, North Carolina.[6] State statute had decreed that the railway depot be at least one mile (1.6 km) from the university campus to discourage students from leaving on the weekends and spending their money elsewhere.[7]:10 Settlement in West End increased after 1898 when Thomas F. Lloyd of Chapel Hill built a steam-powered grist mill near the depot. This would become the Alberta Cotton Mill,[8] and in 1900 the town briefly called itself Lloydville in his honor.[9]

Choose the Right Beauty Program near Carrboro NC

Carrboro NC barber blow drying client's hair Selecting and enrolling in the right beauty college is essential to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Don’t forget to collect all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions supplied 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 examination, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to start your career as a professional cosmetologist in Carrboro NC.