How to Enroll In a Cosmetologist College near Southard Oklahoma
Since you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Southard OK, the task starts to find and enroll in the ideal school. It’s imperative that the school you select not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be somewhat puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a little bit more concerning that in the following section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Southard home. Tuition will additionally be an important consideration when assessing potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the best choice. There are many other factors that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are available.
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human anatomy look more attractive through the application 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 word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states mandate that you take some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Southard OK beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a customer base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own residences or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many names and are employed in a wide variety of specializations including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As earlier stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Degrees
There are primarily two avenues available to receive 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 generally require 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree ordinarily takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you wish to focus on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Southard OK business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you choose, it’s important to make sure that it’s approved by the Oklahoma Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the next section.
Online Cosmetology Training
Online beauty classes are accommodating for Southard OK students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are typically fast paced because many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a substantial portion 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 driving to and from classes. However, it’s vital that the training program you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Beauty Training Courses
Below is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any beauty training program you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Southard OK residence, together with the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the cosmetology training program you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 73770 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Southard OK employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every cosmetology school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Southard OK salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. 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 filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Many beauty schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you choose a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your goal is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your dream is to start a hair salon in Southard OK, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and mastering cosmetology skills and techniques involves lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. Therefore look for other schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from a beauty program, it’s crucial that he or she gets support in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide assistance develope relationships with Southard OK employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Almost all beauty schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and learn 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 offered to students too. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not omit it as an option until you learn what financial aid may be provided.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Southard OK?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Southard OK area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Body positivity
Body positivity is acceptance and appreciation of all human body types.[1][2] It is a social movement rooted in the belief that all human beings should have a positive body image, and be accepting of their own bodies as well as the bodies of others.[3] The movement sets forth the notion that beauty is a construct of society, and poses that this construct should not infringe upon one's ability to feel confidence or self-worth.[3]
Body positivity has roots in the fat acceptance movement as well as the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance.[4] Body positivity differs from fat acceptance in that it is all encompassing and inclusive of all body types and body shapes, whereas fat acceptance only advocates for individuals considered to be obese or overweight.[5]
The movement posits that neither fat-shaming nor skinny-shaming[6] is okay, and that all body types can and should be celebrated.[7] Body-shaming of all types has been shown to yield detrimental long-term psychological effects such as negative body image, depression, anxiety, as well as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and body dysmorphia.[7]
Select the Right Beauty Program near Southard OK
Choosing and enrolling in the ideal beauty school is essential to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Don’t forget to collect all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the academy and program you select are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to begin your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Southard OK.
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