Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools Gaffney SC

How to Find the Right Cosmetologist College near Gaffney South Carolina

nail technicians training at Gaffney SC beauty school Since you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Gaffney SC, the process begins to find and enroll in the best school. It’s important that the school you choose not only provides the proper instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be a little bit puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a bit further about that in the following segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Gaffney home. Tuition will additionally be an important consideration when assessing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the right option. There are various other factors that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding 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 kinds of programs are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

Gaffney SC makeup ar4tist applying makeup Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically 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, almost all states require that you go through some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Gaffney SC beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many titles and are employed in a wide range of specializations including:

Hairdressers
Hairstylists
Beauticians
Barbers
Manicurists
Nail Technicians
Makeup Artists
Hair Coloring Specialists
Estheticians
Electrolysis Technicians

As previously mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain 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, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates

Gaffney SC hairdresser cutting hair There are essentially two options available to get cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally take 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 prefer to focus on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Gaffney SC business. Higher 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 approved by the South Carolina Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming section.

Online Cosmetology Schools

student attending cosmetology school online in Gaffney SC Online beauty schools are advantageous for Gaffney SC students who are employed full-time and have family commitments that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs available that can be attended by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are often fast paced because many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting many hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it’s essential that the training program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Beauty Schools

Questions to ask Gaffney SC beauty schools Below is a list of questions that you need to research for any cosmetologist training school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Gaffney SC home, together with the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial 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 choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the cosmetology school you choose 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 29340 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Gaffney SC employers 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? Any beauty college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Gaffney SC salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And last, contact the South Carolina school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? A number of 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, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you select 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 launch a hair salon in Gaffney SC, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach 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 Enough Live Training Provided? Practicing and mastering cosmetology techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty school provides little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on using mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from a beauty program, it’s important that she or he gets help in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid maintain relationships with Gaffney SC businesses that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, 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 regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most cosmetology schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and learn 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 available to students as well. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not discard it as an option until you determine what financial assistance may be provided.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Gaffney SC?

If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Gaffney SC area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.

Gaffney, South Carolina

Gaffney is a town in and the seat of Cherokee County, South Carolina, United States,[3] in the Upstate region of South Carolina. Gaffney is known as the "Peach Capital of South Carolina". The population was 12,539 at the 2010 census,[4] with an estimated population of 12,597 in 2014.[1] It is the principal city of the Gaffney, South Carolina, Micropolitan Statistical Area (population 55,662 according to 2012 estimates by the U.S. Census Bureau), which includes all of Cherokee County and which is further included in the greater Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson, South Carolina Combined Statistical Area (population 1,384,996 according to year 2012 U.S. Census Bureau estimates).

Michael A. Gaffney, born in Granard, Ireland, in 1775, emigrated to the United States in 1797, arriving in New York City and moving to Charleston, South Carolina, a few years later. Gaffney moved again in 1804 to the South Carolina Upcountry and established a tavern and lodging house at what became known as "Gaffney's Cross Roads". The location was perfect for growth because of the two major roads which met here, one from the mountains of North Carolina to Charleston and the other from Charlotte into Georgia. Michael Gaffney died here on September 6, 1854.

In 1872, the area became known as "Gaffney City". Gaffney became the county seat of Cherokee County which was formed out of parts of York, Union, and Spartanburg counties in 1897. Gaffney became a major center for the textile industry in South Carolina, which was the backbone of the county's economy up until the 1980s.

Pick the Right Cosmetology School near Gaffney SC

Gaffney SC barber blow drying client's hair Choosing and enrolling in the right cosmetology school is important to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to compile all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied 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 self-assured that you are ready to launch your career as a professional cosmetologist in Gaffney SC.