How to Pick a Beauty College near Duncan Oklahoma
Since you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Duncan OK, the process begins to locate and enroll in the best school. It’s important that the program you select not only provides the necessary instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be rather unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a bit further about that in the following section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Duncan home. Tuition will also be an important factor when reviewing possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the best option. There are various other considerations that you should weigh when comparing schools, for example 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 training programs are available.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more attractive through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic can be almost anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you take some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Duncan OK beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a clientele, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles and work 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 exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Certificates and Degrees
There are essentially two avenues 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 typically 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 each of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Duncan OK business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you go with, it’s important to make certain that it’s approved by the Oklahoma Board of Cosmetology. Many states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the following section.
Online Cosmetologist Training
Online cosmetology classes are advantageous for Duncan OK students who are working full time and have family commitments that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are many online cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are often fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting numerous hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it’s important that the school you choose can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Beauty Training Programs
Following is a series of questions that you should research for any cosmetologist training school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Duncan OK residence, as well as the price of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want 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 should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together some of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the cosmetology training program you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in 73533 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Duncan OK employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every cosmetologist college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Duncan OK salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. Finally, consult the Oklahoma 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? Many beauty schools offer programs that are expansive 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 typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you decide on 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 vision is to open a hair salon in Duncan OK, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.
Is Any 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 provided in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty school furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best option for developing your skills. So search for alternate schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from a beauty academy, it’s important that she or he receives assistance in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide aid develope relationships with Duncan OK employers that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Many beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at 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 belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students too. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you learn what financial aid may be offered.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Duncan OK?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Duncan OK area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Duncan, Oklahoma
The Chisholm Trail passed to the east of Duncan prior to the town's founding.[4] An estimated 9,800,000 Longhorn cattle were herded up the trail between Texas and Abilene, Kansas during its existence. After learning that an extension of the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad was being built from Kansas to Texas, Scotsman William Duncan brought his wife, parents, and other relatives and created a trading post situated at the intersection of the north-south Chisholm Trail and the east-west military passage between Fort Arbuckle and Fort Sill. The first train arrived on June 27, 1892; that date is considered the official birth date of the town.
Centrally located in Stephens County, Duncan became the county seat after Oklahoma achieved statehood in 1907.[4] As a compromise between residents of the northern and southern parts of the county, the county courthouse was located in the middle of Duncan's Main Street, half of it in the northern part of the city and county and half in the southern. Main Street made a wide circle around it on both ends.
Oil wells opened in Stephens County in 1918 and led to rapid development in Duncan.[4] Shacks were prohibited immediately following the opening of the wells and other regulations were also put in place to channel the growth in an organized manner.[4]
Find the Right Beauty School near Duncan OK
Finding and enrolling in the ideal cosmetology program is imperative to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to organize all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you select are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are ready to begin your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Duncan OK.
Other Beautiful Locations in Oklahoma
Business Results 1 - 10 of 0
