How to Find the Right Beauty School near Collierville Tennessee
Once you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Collierville TN, the task starts to find and enroll in the ideal school. It’s imperative that the program you choose not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may be a little bit unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a bit further concerning that in the upcoming section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Collierville home. Tuition will likewise be a critical factor when reviewing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not always the best option. There are various other qualifications that you should weigh 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 in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are offered.
Defining Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more attractive through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic can be almost anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you undergo some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Collierville TN beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a client base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known 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 formerly mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, such as 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 Degrees
There are essentially two pathways available to get 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 complete, while an Associate’s degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you wish to focus on just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Collierville TN 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 training program you go with, it’s important to make certain that it’s certified by the Tennessee Board of Cosmetology. Many states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following segment.
Online Beauty Training
Online cosmetology schools are advantageous for Collierville TN students who are employed full-time and have family commitments that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs offered that can be attended via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are often fast paced since many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not spending numerous hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it’s essential that the school you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Beauty Programs
Following is a series of questions that you should research for any cosmetology training school you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Collierville TN home, as well as the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first 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 initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have put together several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the cosmetology college you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 38017 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Collierville TN 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? Any cosmetology college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Collierville TN salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. And finally, check with the Tennessee 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? Some cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative 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 dream is to launch a hair salon in Collierville TN, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a weak 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 skills and techniques requires lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty school provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best option for developing your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that furnish 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 gets assistance in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide assistance maintain relationships with Collierville TN employers that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, 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 respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Almost all beauty schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students as well. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an option until you learn what financial assistance may be available.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Collierville TN?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Collierville TN area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Collierville, Tennessee
Collierville is a town in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States, and a suburb located in the Memphis metropolitan area. The town had a population of 43,965 at the 2010 census,[5] making it the state's largest town by population in that Census.
Collierville is a town of large houses and considerable retail expansion. Smaller, older houses are still found in the heart of Collierville, mainly between Byhalia Road and Collierville-Arlington on the east and west and Shelton and Highway 72 on the north and south. Some industry, notably Pepsi and Carrier, still dots the areas located south of Poplar Avenue.
Collierville is home to the Avenue at Carriage Crossing, an 800,000+ sq ft shopping center which opened in October 2005. Baptist Hospital, Collierville, serves the medical needs of the town's residents. Collierville will become part of the Interstate 69 highway plan integrating Bill Morris Parkway (SR 385) as Interstate 269, part of this USDOT project linking Canada and Mexico with the United States.
Pick the Right Cosmetologist School near Collierville TN
Picking and enrolling in the ideal cosmetologist college is important to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to organize all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the school and program you decide on are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to begin your career as a professional cosmetologist in Collierville TN.
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