How to Select a Beauty School near Oak Ridge Tennessee
Once you have decided to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Oak Ridge TN, the process begins to locate 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 chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you may be rather confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a bit further concerning that in the next section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Oak Ridge home. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when evaluating potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not always the right choice. There are various other considerations that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for example 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 types of courses are available.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you take some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Oak Ridge TN beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles and work 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 have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates
There are essentially two avenues offered to get cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally call for 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 main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Oak Ridge TN business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you decide on, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s certified by the Tennessee Board of Cosmetology. Many states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next section.
Online Cosmetology Classes
Online beauty classes are advantageous for Oak Ridge TN students who are employed full-time and have family commitments that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are typically fast paced due to the fact that 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 amount of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it’s imperative that the school you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills needed to work in any area 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 Cosmetologist Schools
Following is a series of questions that you need to look into for any cosmetology training school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Oak Ridge TN home, together with the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary 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 initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the cosmetology college you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in 37830 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Oak Ridge TN employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each cosmetologist institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Oak Ridge TN salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, 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 considered. Finally, consult the Tennessee 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? Some beauty schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you select a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your goal 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 Oak Ridge TN, then you want 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 pursuing will not provide the training you require.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and refining cosmetology techniques and abilities requires lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty academy provides limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best option for acquiring your skills. So search for alternate schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a beauty school, it’s essential that he or she receives help in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develope relationships with Oak Ridge TN businesses that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, ask 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 Assistance Available? Many beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and find out 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 also. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an alternative until you determine what financial help may be available.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Oak Ridge TN?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Oak Ridge TN area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Oak Ridge, Tennessee
Oak Ridge is a city in Anderson and Roane counties in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Tennessee, about 25 miles (40 km) west of Knoxville. Oak Ridge's population was 29,330 at the 2010 census.[5] It is part of the Knoxville Metropolitan Area. Oak Ridge's nicknames include the Atomic City,[6]the Secret City,[7]the Ridge, and the City Behind the Fence.[8]
Oak Ridge was established in 1942 as a production site for the Manhattan Project—the massive American, British, and Canadian operation that developed the atomic bomb. As it is still the site of Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Y-12 National Security Complex, scientific development still plays a crucial role in the city's economy and culture in general.
The earliest substantial occupation of the Oak Ridge area occurred during the Woodland period (c. 1000 BC – 1000), although artifacts dating to the Paleo-Indian period have been found throughout the Clinch Valley.[9] Two Woodland mound sites—the Crawford Farm Mounds and the Freels Farm Mounds—were uncovered in the 1930s as part of the Norris Basin salvage excavations. Both sites were located just southeast of the former Scarboro community.[10] The Bull Bluff site, which was occupied during both the Woodland and Mississippian (c. 1000–1600) periods, was uncovered in the 1960s in anticipation of the construction of Melton Hill Dam.[11] Bull Bluff is a cliff located immediately southeast of Haw Ridge, opposite Melton Hill Park. The Oak Ridge area was largely uninhabited by the time Euro-American explorers and settlers arrived in the late 18th century, although the Cherokee claimed the land as part of their hunting grounds.
Enroll in the Right Cosmetologist College near Oak Ridge TN
Finding and enrolling in the ideal cosmetology program is imperative to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to organize all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process 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 foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are ready to launch your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Oak Ridge TN.
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