How to Find the Right Beauty School near Piqua Ohio
Since you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Piqua OH, the process starts to search for and enroll in the right school. It’s essential that the program you choose not only furnishes the proper training for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be rather unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a little bit more about that in the next section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Piqua home. Tuition will additionally be an important factor when evaluating prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the right choice. There are several other factors that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are available.
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic can be almost anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states mandate that you undergo some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Piqua OH beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a customer base, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers 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 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 practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Certificates and Degrees
There are basically two options available to obtain cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally call for 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree ordinarily 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 offered if you wish to focus on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also probably include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Piqua OH business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you opt for, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s approved by the Ohio Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next segment.
Online Beauty Courses
Online cosmetology programs are convenient for Piqua OH students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are frequently fast paced given that many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the school you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Beauty Training Courses
Following is a series of questions that you need to research for any beauty training program you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Piqua OH home, in addition to the expense of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have collected some of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the cosmetology training program you enroll in 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 measure up to their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 45356 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Piqua OH employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any cosmetology college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Piqua OH salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, 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 looked into. Finally, check with the Ohio 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? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you enroll in 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 Piqua OH, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and refining cosmetology skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished 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 volunteers. If a beauty academy provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for developing your skills. So look for alternate schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a beauty academy, it’s essential that she or he receives aid in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develope relationships with Piqua OH businesses that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Many cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. 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 accessible to students too. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not drop it as an alternative before you determine what financial help may be offered.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Piqua OH?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Piqua OH area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Piqua, Ohio
In 1747, Fort Pickawillany was constructed by the British to protect their trading post at a Miami village of the same name. It was located at the confluence of Loramie Creek and the Great Miami River. (The present city of Piqua developed about a mile to the southwest).
In 1752 Charles de Langlade, an Odawa war chief of partial French Canadian descent, attacked the fort. He led more than 240 Odawa and Ojibwe warriors allied with French forces against the British and the Miami village in the Battle of Pickawillany. The Miami chief and a British trader were killed in the conflict.
After the battle, the British and Miami abandoned this site. The Miami rebuilt Pickawillany, and Piqua later developed near their village. The British soon took over the area after defeating the French in the Seven Years' War (1754-1763), known in British North America as the French and Indian War.
Pick the Right Cosmetologist Program near Piqua OH
Choosing and enrolling in the ideal cosmetology college is important to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to compile all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the institution and program you select are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are ready to launch your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Piqua OH.
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