How to Choose a Beauty College near Clemson South Carolina
Since you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Clemson SC, the process begins to search for and enroll in the right school. It’s important that the school you pick not only furnishes the proper training for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you may be rather puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll talk a bit further concerning that in the following segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Clemson residence. Tuition will additionally be an important aspect when evaluating potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the right choice. There are several other qualifications that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are available.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be almost anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you undergo some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Clemson SC beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a client base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many professional names and are employed in a wide variety of specialties including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As earlier stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates
There are primarily two options offered to obtain cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally require 12 to 18 months to finish, 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 wish to specialize in just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Clemson SC business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you go with, it’s important to make certain that it’s recognized by the South Carolina Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only certify schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming section.
Online Beauty Programs
Online cosmetology schools are convenient for Clemson SC students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended through a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are typically fast paced given that many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you’re not devoting numerous hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the school you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Cosmetologist Programs
Following is a list of questions that you will want to investigate for any beauty training program you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Clemson SC home, in addition to the price of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced 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 collected some of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the cosmetology training program you select 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 comply with their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in 29631 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 Clemson SC businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every cosmetology college that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Clemson SC salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. Finally, check with the South Carolina school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some cosmetology schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly 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 objective is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your vision is to open a hair salon in Clemson SC, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and refining cosmetology techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty program offers limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. So try to find other schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a beauty academy, it’s imperative that she or he receives help in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develope relationships with Clemson SC employers that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher 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 cosmetology schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Talk to 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 also. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an alternative until you find out what financial help may be provided.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Clemson SC?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Clemson SC area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Clemson, South Carolina
Clemson is a city in Pickens and Anderson counties in the U.S. state of South Carolina. Clemson is home to Clemson University; in 2015, the Princeton Review cited the town of Clemson as ranking #1 in the United States for "town-and-gown" relations with its resident university.[3] The population of the city was 13,905 at the 2010 census.[4]
Clemson is part of the Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson, South Carolina Combined Statistical Area. Most of the city is in Pickens County, which is part of the Greenville-Mauldin-Easley Metropolitan Statistical Area. A small portion is in Anderson County, which is part of the Anderson Metropolitan Statistical Area.
The city of Clemson's character is largely defined by Clemson University, a large public university that dates to 1889. The university is the cultural center of the city, even though a small multi-block downtown with housing, retail and restaurants is directly to the north of the campus. The community was originally named Calhoun and was renamed Clemson in 1943.
Select the Right Cosmetologist Training Program near Clemson SC
Picking and enrolling in the ideal cosmetologist program is important to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Make certain to compile all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information 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 profession. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided 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 test, you will be confident that you are prepared to launch your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Clemson SC.
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