How to Pick a Beauty School near Bristow Oklahoma
Since you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Bristow OK, the task begins to search for and enroll in the best school. It’s imperative that the school you pick not only provides the proper education for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be a little bit puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a little bit further about that in the upcoming section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Bristow home. Tuition will additionally be an important factor when reviewing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the best option. There are various other considerations that you should evaluate when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are available.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more attractive with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be almost anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states mandate that you take some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Bristow OK 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 seeing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go 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 mentioned, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Certificates and Degrees
There are primarily two avenues offered to get cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally take 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 instructed in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you want to specialize in just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Bristow OK business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you go with, it’s essential to make sure that it’s certified by the Oklahoma Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the following section.
Online Cosmetology Training
Online cosmetology schools are convenient for Bristow OK students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced because many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not spending numerous hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the program you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Cosmetology Degree Programs
Following is a list of questions that you need to investigate for any cosmetologist training program you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Bristow OK residence, in addition to the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first 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 consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have put together some of those additional 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 acknowledged local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 74010 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Bristow OK employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every cosmetology college that you are seriously evaluating 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. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Bristow OK salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And last, check with the Oklahoma school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing 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 important that you select a school that focuses on 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 respected for that program. If your dream is to start a hair salon in Bristow OK, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Practicing and refining cosmetology skills and techniques involves lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty academy offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best option for cultivating your skills. So try to find alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from a cosmetology program, it’s essential that she or he receives support in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance develope relationships with Bristow OK businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Almost all cosmetology schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students too. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an alternative until you find out what financial assistance may be offered.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Bristow OK?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Bristow OK area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Bristow, Oklahoma
Bristow began in 1898, when the St. Louis–San Francisco Railway ("Frisco") built a track between Sapulpa and Oklahoma City. The town was named for Joseph L. Bristow, a U.S. senator from Kansas. A post office was established April 25, 1898. By the 1900 census, the population was 626.[4]
Bristow was designated as the county seat for Creek County at statehood when its population was 1,134. However, the county held a special election on August 20, 1908, to decide whether the seat would remain in Bristow or move to Sapulpa, which claimed to be more centrally located. Bristow had a larger population and claimed to have better railroad connections. Sapulpa won the election, but Bristow claimed voting irregularities. The election was voided and a new vote was held November 20, 1912. Again, Sapulpa won the election and the title of county seat.[4]
The local economy depended heavily on cotton. Bristow had seven cotton gins and two cottonseed oil mills in the early 20th century. Other farms in the surrounding area produced corn, peanuts, potatoes and fruit. Oil and gas were discovered in the area around 1915. The discovery led to the construction of three refineries and four pipeline companies by 1930. The Oklahoma-Southwestern Railway Company built a short line from the oilfields to Bristow in 1920. The peak census population was 6,619 in 1930[4]
Find the Right Cosmetologist School near Bristow OK
Selecting and enrolling in the right cosmetologist college is important to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Make certain to consolidate all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the academy and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional 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 proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are ready to start your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Bristow OK.
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