How to Choose a Cosmetology School near Bellefontaine Ohio
Now that you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Bellefontaine OH, the task begins to locate and enroll in the ideal school. It’s important that the school you pick not only provides the proper instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you may be rather unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll speak a bit further concerning that in the upcoming segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Bellefontaine home. Tuition will likewise be a critical consideration when assessing prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the best option. There are many other factors that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are offered.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human anatomy look more attractive with the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you go through some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Bellefontaine OH beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a client base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s residence, 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 formerly mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates
There are essentially two pathways offered to get cosmetology training and a credential after 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 finish, while an Associate’s degree usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you wish to concentrate on just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Bellefontaine OH business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you opt for, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s approved by the Ohio Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming section.
Online Beauty Classes
Online beauty classes are accommodating for Bellefontaine OH students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online cosmetology school programs available that can be attended by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools are typically fast paced since many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not spending many hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the school you choose can provide internship training in nearby 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 difficult to obtain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Cosmetology Schools
Below is a list of questions that you should look into for any cosmetology training school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Bellefontaine OH home, in addition to the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly 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 consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have compiled some of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the cosmetology school you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged 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 ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 43311 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Bellefontaine OH employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every cosmetology college that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. 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 demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Bellefontaine OH salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. And last, contact the Ohio school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in complete 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, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you enroll in a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your dream is to open a hair salon in Bellefontaine OH, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering cosmetology skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty school furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the best option for developing your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from a cosmetology academy, it’s imperative that she or he gets support in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with Bellefontaine OH employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? The majority of beauty schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Talk to 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 available to students also. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an option until you learn what financial assistance may be available.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Bellefontaine OH?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Bellefontaine OH area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Bellefontaine, Ohio
Bellefontaine (/bɛlˈfaʊntən/ bel-FOWN-tən)[6] is a city in and the county seat of Logan County, Ohio, United States,[7] located 48 miles northwest of Columbus. The population was 13,370 at the 2010 Census. It is the principal city of the Bellefontaine, OH Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Logan County. The highest point in Ohio, Campbell Hill, is within the city limits.
Around 1777, the Shawnee war chief Blue Jacket (Weyapiersenwah) built a settlement here, known as "Blue Jacket's Town". Blue Jacket and his band had previously occupied a village along the Scioto River, but the American Revolutionary War had reached the Ohio Country. Blue Jacket and other American Indians who took up arms against the American revolutionaries relocated in order to be closer to their British allies at Detroit.
After the United States gained independence, its forces continued warfare against former Indian allies of the British. Blue Jacket's Town was destroyed in Logan's Raid, conducted by Kentucky militia in 1786 at the outset of the Northwest Indian War. The expedition was led by Benjamin Logan, namesake of Logan County. Blue Jacket and his followers relocated further northwest to the Maumee River.[9]
Select the Right Cosmetologist School near Bellefontaine OH
Picking and enrolling in the right cosmetology program is imperative to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to collect all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the college and program you select are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to begin your career as a professional cosmetologist in Bellefontaine OH.
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