How to Enroll In a Beauty School near Fort Sill Oklahoma
Now that you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Fort Sill OK, the process starts to search for and enroll in the right school. It’s important that the school you choose not only furnishes the proper instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be a little bit unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a little bit further regarding that in the following section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Fort Sill home. Tuition will additionally be a critical aspect when assessing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not always the right option. There are many other factors that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are looking at 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 all about making the human body look more beautiful through the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you go through some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Fort Sill OK beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a client base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many professional names and work in a wide variety of specialties including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As earlier mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain 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, such as shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates
There are primarily two avenues offered to obtain cosmetology training and a credential upon 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 commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you want to specialize in just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Fort Sill OK business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you choose, it’s important to make certain that it’s certified by the Oklahoma Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the following segment.
Online Cosmetology Courses
Online beauty classes are advantageous for Fort Sill OK students who are working full time and have family commitments that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs available that can be attended via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not spending numerous hours away from your home or commuting to and from classes. However, it’s important that the school you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Cosmetology Training Programs
Following is a series of questions that you should look into for any cosmetologist training program you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Fort Sill OK home, in addition to the expense of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the cosmetology college you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized 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 guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 73503 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 Fort Sill OK employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any cosmetologist institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Fort Sill OK salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. And finally, contact the Oklahoma school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you choose a school that specializes in 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 well regarded for that program. If your dream is to open a hair salon in Fort Sill OK, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Learning and perfecting cosmetology techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on using mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for developing your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from a cosmetology program, it’s imperative that she or he gets assistance in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develope relationships with Fort Sill OK employers that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Most beauty schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and learn 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 offered to students too. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not omit it as an alternative before you determine what financial aid may be provided.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Fort Sill OK?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Fort Sill OK area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Fort Sill
The fort was first built during the Indian Wars.[3] It is designated as a National Historic Landmark[1] and serves as home of the United States Army Field Artillery School as well as the Marine Corps' site for Field Artillery MOS school, United States Army Air Defense Artillery School, the 31st Air Defense Artillery Brigade, and the 75th Field Artillery Brigade. Fort Sill is also one of the four locations for Army Basic Combat Training. It has played a significant role in every major American conflict since 1869.[4]
The site of Fort Sill was staked out on 8 January 1869 (factual evidence of actual date needed), by Maj. Gen. Philip H. Sheridan, who led a campaign into Indian Territory to stop hostile tribes from raiding border settlements in Texas and Kansas.
Sheridan's massive winter campaign involved six cavalry regiments accompanied by frontier scouts such as Buffalo Bill Cody, Wild Bill Hickok, Ben Clark and Jack Stilwell. Troops camped at the location of the new fort included the 7th Cavalry, the 19th Kansas Volunteers and the 10th Cavalry, a distinguished group of black "buffalo soldiers" who constructed many of the stone buildings still surrounding the old post quadrangle.
Pick the Right Cosmetology Training Program near Fort Sill OK
Locating and enrolling in the right cosmetology school is imperative to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Make certain to collect all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast 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 field. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are ready to start your career as a professional cosmetologist in Fort Sill OK.
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