How to Select a Cosmetology College near Altus Afb Oklahoma
Now that you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Altus Afb OK, the task begins to search for and enroll in the ideal school. It’s essential that the school you choose not only furnishes the appropriate education for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be a little bit confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a little bit further concerning that in the upcoming section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Altus Afb home. Tuition will additionally be a critical consideration when assessing potential 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 a number of other factors that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about 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 types of courses are available.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you take some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Altus Afb OK beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known 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 formerly stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those offering 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 be licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist 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 work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally call for 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you want to concentrate on just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Altus Afb OK business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you opt for, it’s essential to make certain that it’s approved by the Oklahoma Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the next segment.
Online Cosmetologist Schools
Online cosmetology schools are accommodating for Altus Afb OK students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are often fast paced because many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not spending many hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential 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 necessary for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Beauty Trade Schools
Following is a list of questions that you should look into for any beauty training program you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Altus Afb OK home, as well as the expense of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices 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 compiled several of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make sure 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 ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 73523 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Altus Afb OK employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each beauty college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Altus Afb OK salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And last, consult the Oklahoma school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Some beauty 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 instance 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 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 respected for that program. If your desire is to open a hair salon in Altus Afb OK, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering cosmetology techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty school provides limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from a beauty academy, it’s imperative that he or she receives assistance in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid develope relationships with Altus Afb OK businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Almost all cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and find out 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 accessible to students also. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you learn what financial assistance may be available.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Altus Afb OK?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Altus Afb OK area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Altus Air Force Base
The host unit at Altus AFB is the 97th Air Mobility Wing (97 AMW), assigned to the Nineteenth Air Force (19 AF) of the Air Education and Training Command (AETC). The wing's mission is to provide C-17 Globemaster III and KC-135 Stratotanker formal initial and advanced specialty training programs for up to 3000 flight crew and aircraft maintenance students annually.
Between 1945 and 1953, Altus served as a scrap yard for hundreds of World War II era military aircraft. In 1945 the famous B-17F "Memphis Belle" was discovered at Altus awaiting disposal. The aircraft was saved and transferred to the city of Memphis, Tennessee, where it was displayed until 2005, when it was relocated to the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson AFB in Ohio.
The base sat idle for only a few years. The onset of the Korean War in June 1950 created the need for more men to fly and service aircraft. During the early years of the conflict, many World War II airfields were examined for reactivation. On 1 August 1953, Altus Air Force Base was reactivated as a training base for transport aircraft. The C-47 "Skytrain" and the C-45 "Expediter" were the main aircraft assigned to the base, run briefly by the 63d Troop Carrier Wing from 8 January until 15 October 1953 under the watch of the Tactical Air Command (TAC).
Select the Right Beauty Program near Altus Afb OK
Finding and enrolling in the ideal cosmetology college is important to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to consolidate 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 start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you pick 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 reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Altus Afb OK.
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