How to Select a Beauty School near Stratford Oklahoma
Once you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Stratford OK, the process starts to search for and enroll in the right school. It’s imperative that the program you pick not only provides the appropriate training for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be rather puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a bit further concerning that in the following section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Stratford home. Tuition will additionally be a critical factor when assessing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the best option. There are many other considerations that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about 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.
Defining Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you undergo some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Stratford OK beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many names and are employed in a wide range of specialties including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As already stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Certificates and Degrees
There are primarily two pathways offered to get cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually 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 main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you wish to focus on just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Stratford OK business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you choose, it’s essential 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, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the next segment.
Online Cosmetologist Training
Online beauty schools are advantageous for Stratford OK students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be attended by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are typically fast paced because many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not spending numerous hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it’s essential that the school you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Beauty Programs
Below is a list of questions that you will want to research for any beauty training school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Stratford OK home, as well as the cost of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want 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 additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the cosmetology school you select 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 comply with their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 74872 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Stratford OK businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any cosmetology college that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. 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, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Stratford OK salon owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And last, consult the Oklahoma school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed 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 areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you pick a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your ambition 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 Stratford OK, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Learning and perfecting cosmetology techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty program provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from a cosmetology school, it’s essential that he or she receives assistance in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide assistance develope relationships with Stratford OK businesses that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, find out 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. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students as well. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not discard it as an option before you determine what financial assistance may be available.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Stratford OK?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Stratford OK area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Stratford, Oklahoma
Stratford is a town in Garvin County, Oklahoma, United States. Prior to Oklahoma statehood in 1907, the town existed under different names and was in the Chickasaw Nation in a geographic region known as Indian Territory. Peach orchards abound in and around the town. The population was 1,525 at the 2010 census.
Stratford was originally the town of McGee, which was established in 1891.[3] At the time, it was part of the Chickasaw Nation in an unorganized geographic region of the United States known as Indian Territory[4] In 1906 the Oklahoma Central Railroad built the railroad two miles south of McGee.[3] The town placed its buildings on wagons and wheeled them down to the train tracks. The new town was first named Walling, but by October 1906 the name was changed to Stratford.[3] Stratford is known as the Peach Capital of the World and holds its Peach Festival, annual rodeo, and car show the third Saturday each July. The festival has been held since 1976, while the rodeo dates back to 1936.[3]
Stratford is approximately halfway between Pauls Valley, Oklahoma and Ada, Oklahoma along State Highway 19, where it intersects U.S. Highway 177.[3] Its geographic coordinates are 34°47′46″N 96°57′37″W / 34.79611°N 96.96028°W / 34.79611; -96.96028 (34.796077, -96.960342).[5]
Enroll in the Right Beauty School near Stratford OK
Choosing and enrolling in the right cosmetology school is imperative to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A good start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the institution and program you select are accredited and have impressive 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 proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your career as a professional cosmetologist in Stratford OK.
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