How to Pick a Beauty College near Claremont North Carolina
Once you have decided to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Claremont NC, the process starts to search for and enroll in the ideal school. It’s important that the school you pick not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be rather unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a bit more regarding that in the next segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Claremont residence. Tuition will additionally be an important consideration when evaluating potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not always the best option. There are several other qualifications that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are available.
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful through the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you go through some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Claremont NC beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own residences or will go to the client’s home, 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 previously mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Degrees
There are basically two options offered to get 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 complete, 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 offered if you wish to specialize in just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Claremont NC business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you opt for, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s recognized by the North Carolina Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming section.
Online Cosmetology Schools
Online beauty classes are convenient for Claremont NC students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs offered that can be attended by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are typically fast paced given that many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not devoting many hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the school you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills necessary to work in any facet 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 Cosmetology Training Classes
Following is a list of questions that you should investigate for any cosmetologist training school you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Claremont NC residence, as well as the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish 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 initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have put together several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the cosmetology training program you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 28610 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 Claremont NC employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every cosmetologist school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Claremont NC salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And last, consult the North Carolina 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? Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you select 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 aspiration is to start a hair salon in Claremont NC, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Practicing and perfecting cosmetology techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty program furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from a beauty school, it’s imperative that he or she receives help in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer help develope relationships with Claremont NC businesses that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out 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 Assistance Available? Many cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may 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 meets all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an option until you find out what financial help may be available.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Claremont NC?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Claremont NC area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Claremont, North Carolina
Claremont is located east of the center of Catawba County at 35°42′50″N 81°9′2″W / 35.71389°N 81.15056°W / 35.71389; -81.15056 (35.713752, -81.150661).[6]U.S. Route 70 passes through the center of town, leading west 4 miles (6 km) to Conover and east 4 miles (6 km) to Catawba. Interstate 40 passes just north of the town, with access from Exit 135. I-40 leads west 12 miles (19 km) to Hickory and east 16 miles (26 km) to Statesville.
As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 1,355 people, 456 households, and 300 families residing in the city. The population density was 542.0 people per square mile (159.7/km²). There were 492 housing units at an average density of 196.3 per square mile (75.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.66% White, 2.22% African American, 0.10% Native American, 0.87% Asian, 0.67% from other races, and 0.48% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.99% of the population.
There were 456 households out of which 27.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.3% were married couples living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.0% were non-families. 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.79.
Select the Right Cosmetologist College near Claremont NC
Locating and enrolling in the ideal beauty college is imperative to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Don’t forget to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you choose are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to begin your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Claremont NC.
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