How to Choose a Beauty School near Rockdale Texas

Since you have decided to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Rockdale TX, the task starts to find and enroll in the best school. It’s imperative that the program you choose not only provides the proper instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you may be somewhat puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll speak a bit further concerning that in the following section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Rockdale home. Tuition will likewise be a critical consideration when evaluating potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not always the right choice. There are a number of other considerations that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are offered.

What is Cosmetology

Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic can be almost anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you take some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Rockdale TX beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a customer base, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional names and work in a wide range of specializations including:

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

As formerly stated, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates

There are primarily two pathways offered to obtain 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 usually require 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree ordinarily takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you prefer to focus on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Rockdale TX business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you choose, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s certified by the Texas Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the next section.

Online Cosmetologist Courses

Online cosmetology programs are accommodating for Rockdale TX students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed through a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools are often fast paced because many courses are as short as six or eight 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 are not spending many hours away from your home or driving to and from classes. However, it’s important that the training program you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Cosmetology Degree Programs

Following is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any cosmetologist training program you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Rockdale TX home, together with the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn 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 need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have put together some of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the cosmetology college you pick 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 ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in 76567 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Rockdale TX employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation?  Any cosmetologist 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 endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Rockdale TX salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. Finally, consult the Texas school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty?  Many beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you enroll in a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your vision is to open a hair salon in Rockdale TX, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided?  Studying and refining cosmetology techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty lessons 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 little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the best option for cultivating your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  When a student graduates from a beauty school, it’s crucial that he or she gets help in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance develope relationships with Rockdale TX employers that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered?  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 office. Speak with a counselor and identify 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 too. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not drop it as an option before you learn what financial assistance may be offered.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Rockdale TX?

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

Select the Right Cosmetology College near Rockdale TX

Locating and enrolling in the right cosmetology school is essential to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Don’t forget to collect all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the school and program you pick are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your career as a professional cosmetologist in Rockdale TX.

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