How to Choose a Cosmetologist College near Kings Mountain North Carolina

Since you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Kings Mountain NC, the process begins to find and enroll in the ideal school. It’s essential that the program you choose not only provides the proper education for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be rather puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll speak a little bit further about that in the following section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Kings Mountain home. Tuition will likewise be an important aspect when reviewing possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not always the right choice. There are several other factors that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you undergo some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Kings Mountain NC beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have 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 previously mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Cosmetology Degrees and Certificates

There are basically two pathways available to obtain cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, 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 instructed in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you wish to specialize in just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Kings Mountain NC business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you choose, 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 reputable agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming section.

Online Cosmetology Programs

Online beauty classes are accommodating for Kings Mountain NC students who are employed full-time and have family commitments that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs available that can be attended by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are often fast paced since many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or commuting to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the school you select can provide internship training in area 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 acquire the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Beauty Degree Programs

Following is a series of questions that you will want to research for any cosmetology training school you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Kings Mountain NC residence, together with the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the Program 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 certified 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 assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 28086 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Kings Mountain NC businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation?  Every cosmetology college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. 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 Kings Mountain NC salon owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. And finally, consult the North Carolina school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus?  A number of 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 broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you choose a school that specializes in 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 well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to open a hair salon in Kings Mountain NC, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided?  Learning and mastering cosmetology techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty program furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. So look for alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  Once a student graduates from a beauty academy, it’s essential that she or he receives assistance in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develope relationships with Kings Mountain NC businesses that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available?  Almost all beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and find out 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 satisfies all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an option until you learn what financial assistance may be provided.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Kings Mountain NC?

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

Pick the Right Cosmetology Training Program near Kings Mountain NC

Selecting and enrolling in the ideal beauty college is important to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to consolidate all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you pick are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to begin your career as a professional cosmetologist in Kings Mountain NC.

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