How to Pick a Cosmetologist School near Liberty South Carolina
Since you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Liberty SC, the process begins to find and enroll in the ideal school. It’s essential that the program you select not only provides the proper education for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you may be somewhat confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll talk a little bit more about that in the upcoming segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Liberty residence. Tuition will additionally be an important consideration when reviewing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not always the right choice. There are various other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are available.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more attractive through the application 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 go through some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Liberty SC beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own residences or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many titles 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 formerly stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Degrees
There are basically two options offered to receive 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 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 trained in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you wish to concentrate on just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also probably include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Liberty SC business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you opt for, it’s essential to make certain that it’s recognized by the South Carolina Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the following segment.
Online Cosmetologist Schools
Online cosmetology schools are convenient for Liberty SC students who are working full-time and have family commitments that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous online beauty school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are often fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not spending many hours away from your home or travelling to and from classes. However, it’s essential that the school you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a complete 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 make sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Cosmetologist Training Classes
Following is a series of questions that you need to research for any cosmetologist training school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Liberty SC home, as well as the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make certain that the cosmetology college 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in 29657 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Liberty SC businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any cosmetologist school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Liberty SC salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to propose 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 Specialty? Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets 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 decide on a school that focuses on 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 aspiration is to open a hair salon in Liberty SC, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering cosmetology techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty program provides little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. So search for alternate schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a beauty program, it’s crucial that she or he gets help in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance develope relationships with Liberty SC businesses that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Almost all beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students also. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not discard it as an option until you find out what financial help may be offered.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Liberty SC?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Liberty SC area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Liberty, South Carolina
How exactly Liberty got its name has been a source of debate over the years. There are no real historical accounts of why Liberty was given the name it was. The most popular—though probably mythical—story regarding the reason the area was named Liberty was put forth by Mrs. Annie Craig in 1936: "At the close of the Revolutionary war a religious meeting was being held at a church close to a spring near the present town of Liberty when the word came that Cornwallis had surrendered and the colonies had gained their independence. This church was named Liberty and it and the spring were located just beyond where the cemetery is now located, hence the name Liberty."[3]
Some have claimed that Liberty was once named Salubrity Springs, but was renamed Liberty in the late 19th century. References to early land records, however, suggests that such is not the case. While there are many records that refer to the area as Liberty Spring, there are no private or legal documents that contain a reference to Salubrity Spring.[4] The first reference to Salubrity comes from the name of a farm purchased by the Rev. Allen Fuller, Universalist, in 1837. In 1839, Mr. Fuller set up a post office in his home, naming it Salubrity Post Office. This post office remained in operation until February, 1876, three years after the first official Liberty post office was established in 1873.[5] Once the town of Liberty was chartered little more than a month after the Salubrity post office closed, the name Salubrity became little more than a memory.
Liberty today sits on land that was once part of the Cherokee Indians' hunting ground. The Otarre, or Lower Hill Cherokees, had several thriving villages along the riverbanks in the area; perhaps the most notable example being the village of Keowee, located near the modern day Oconee and Pickens County line. Cherokee tribesmen, who often survived by growing crops, and tended to live in small villages, were in many ways more domesticated than other Native American tribes. The Cherokee also hunted game, believing that the foothills were a sacred hunting ground for deer, buffalo, and other large animals.[6]
Select the Right Cosmetology Training Program near Liberty SC
Selecting and enrolling in the ideal cosmetologist school is imperative to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to collect 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 start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you pick are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to launch your career as a professional cosmetologist in Liberty SC.
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