How to Enroll In a Cosmetology College near Piney Creek North Carolina
Since you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Piney Creek NC, the process begins to find and enroll in the right school. It’s important that the school you select not only furnishes the necessary education 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 unclear about the distinction 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 discuss a bit further regarding that in the next section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Piney Creek residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical aspect when reviewing potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the right choice. There are many other factors that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are available.
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 many cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you undergo some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Piney Creek 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 begin servicing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional names 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 already mentioned, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Certificates and Degrees
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 call for 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you wish to specialize in just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Piney Creek NC business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you go with, it’s essential to make certain that it’s certified by the North Carolina Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next section.
Online Cosmetology Training
Online beauty programs are accommodating for Piney Creek NC students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology 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 given that many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting many hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it’s imperative that the training program you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Cosmetology Training Classes
Following is a list of questions that you will want to investigate for any cosmetologist training program you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Piney Creek NC home, as well as the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make certain that the cosmetology school you choose 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 comply with their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in 28663 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Piney Creek NC employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each beauty college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Piney Creek NC salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. Finally, consult the North Carolina school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Some beauty schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often 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 objective 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 dream is to open a hair salon in Piney Creek NC, then you want 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 provide the training you require.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and refining cosmetology skills and techniques requires lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty academy provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best option for acquiring your skills. So look for other schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from a cosmetology school, it’s important that she or he receives assistance in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid maintain relationships with Piney Creek NC businesses that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Most beauty schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and find out 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 also. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not omit it as an option before you determine what financial assistance may be provided.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Piney Creek NC?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Piney Creek NC area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Piney Creek, North Carolina
Piney Creek's Zip Code Tabulation Area (Zip Code 28663) has a population of 580 as of the 2000 census. The population is 51.2% male and 48.8% female. About 98.8% of the population is white, 0.7% African-American, 3.8% Hispanic, and 0.5% of people are two or more races.
Select the Right Beauty Program near Piney Creek NC
Locating and enrolling in the ideal cosmetology school is imperative to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to collect all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the school and program you decide on are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are ready to start your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Piney Creek NC.
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