How to Enroll In a Cosmetologist School near Oakboro North Carolina

Since you have decided to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Oakboro NC, the task begins to search for and enroll in the best school. It’s imperative that the school you choose not only furnishes the necessary instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be a little bit unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a little bit further about that in the following segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Oakboro home. Tuition will likewise be a critical consideration when evaluating possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the right choice. There are several other considerations that you should evaluate when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more attractive with the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you undergo some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Oakboro NC beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a client base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many titles and are employed in a wide variety of specialties including:

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

As previously stated, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those performing 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.

Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates

There are essentially two avenues offered to get cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally require 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree ordinarily takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you want to focus on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also probably include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Oakboro NC business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you choose, it’s important to make certain that it’s recognized by the North Carolina Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next segment.

Online Beauty Courses

Online beauty classes are convenient for Oakboro NC students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed through a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are typically fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the program you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Cosmetologist Degree Programs

Following is a series of questions that you need to investigate for any beauty training program you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Oakboro NC home, in addition to the cost of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt 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 must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the cosmetology college you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 28129 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Oakboro NC employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation?  Each cosmetologist institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Oakboro NC salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. And last, contact the North Carolina school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted 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 areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you select a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your desire is to start a hair salon in Oakboro 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 weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.

Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided?  Learning and refining cosmetology skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty academy provides limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. Therefore look for other schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  As soon as a student graduates from a cosmetology academy, it’s important that she or he receives help in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish help develope relationships with Oakboro NC employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have wide 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. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Speak with 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 available to students too. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an option until you find out what financial assistance may be provided.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Oakboro NC?

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

Pick the Right Beauty College near Oakboro NC

Selecting and enrolling in the right cosmetologist college is essential to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to organize all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions supplied in this article, 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 test, you will be confident that you are qualified to start your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Oakboro NC.

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