How to Enroll In a Beauty College near Mountain Park Oklahoma
Since you have decided to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Mountain Park OK, the task starts to locate and enroll in the right school. It’s imperative that the program you choose not only furnishes the necessary training for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be a little bit confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a bit further regarding that in the following segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Mountain Park home. Tuition will also be an important factor when assessing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the ideal choice. There are various other factors that you should weigh when comparing schools, for instance 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 bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are available.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more attractive through the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be almost anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want 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 environments include not only Mountain Park OK beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a clientele, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many titles and work in a wide range 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 instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Certificates and Degrees
There are essentially two pathways available 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 usually require 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 instructed in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Mountain Park OK business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you opt for, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s certified by the Oklahoma Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following segment.
Online Cosmetology Courses
Online cosmetology programs are convenient for Mountain Park OK students who are employed full-time and have family commitments that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are many web-based beauty school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are frequently fast paced since many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not spending numerous hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. However, it’s important that the program you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills needed to work in any facet 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.
What to Ask Beauty Trade Schools
Following is a series of questions that you should research for any beauty training school you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Mountain Park OK home, together with the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled some of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the cosmetology college you choose 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 73559 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Mountain Park OK employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any cosmetology school that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Mountain Park OK salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And finally, 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? A number of 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 example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you enroll in a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your intention 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 Mountain Park OK, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Practicing and refining cosmetology skills and techniques demands lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the best option for cultivating your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from a cosmetology academy, it’s essential that she or he gets help in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide aid develope relationships with Mountain Park OK businesses that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Many beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students also. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not discard it as an alternative until you learn what financial help may be available.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Mountain Park OK?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Mountain Park OK area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Mountain Park, Oklahoma
The town of Mountain Park began as a trading post named Burford, near the Wichita Mountains in southern Oklahoma Territory. A post office was established at Burford in August 1901, just after the Kiowa, Comanche, and Apache Reservation opened for settlement by non-Indians. In February 1902, the town that had sprung up around the trading post and changed its name to Mountain Park. Fires destroyed most of the wood frame buildings along Main Street in 1906 and 1908. The town rebuilt with all brick structures.[4]
According to Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture, the Oklahoma City and Western Railroad offered Mountain Park resident Sol Bracken six thousand dollars for a 160 acres (65 ha) tract on which to build a station. Bracken refused the offer as insufficient and demanded more money. Instead, company officials rerouted their railroad through the town of Snyder, two miles south of Mountain Park. As a result, 41 of the 47 businesses in Mountain Park promptly moved to Snyder.[4]
By statehood in 1907, Mountain Park had 381 residents. In 1910, it was named the county seat of the short-lived Swanson County, Oklahoma. That county was abolished in the following year. The local economy was based on cotton and wheat production, as well as granite quarrying. The population rose to 459 by 1930. Census population peaked at 557 in 1980, then declined to 390 in 2000.[4]
Select the Right Cosmetology College near Mountain Park OK
Choosing and enrolling in the right cosmetology college is imperative to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to compile all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the academy and program you pick are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to launch your career as a professional cosmetologist in Mountain Park OK.
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