How to Select a Cosmetology School near Fair Haven Vermont
Once you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Fair Haven VT, the task begins to find and enroll in the right school. It’s imperative that the school you select not only provides the proper education for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be somewhat confused about the contrast 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 speak a bit more about that in the next section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Fair Haven home. Tuition will likewise be a critical consideration when reviewing potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the right option. There are several other considerations that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are offered.
Defining Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So naturally 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 basically a cosmetic can be 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 undergo some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Fair Haven VT beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional names and work in a wide variety of specializations including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As already mentioned, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must 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, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Degrees and Certificates
There are essentially two pathways offered to receive 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 usually take 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree usually 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 offered if you want to concentrate on just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Fair Haven VT business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you choose, it’s important to make certain that it’s approved by the Vermont Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming section.
Online Cosmetologist Programs
Online cosmetology classes are convenient for Fair Haven VT students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are often fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as brief 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 volume of material, but you’re not devoting many hours outside of your home or commuting to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the program you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Cosmetology Training Classes
Below is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any cosmetology training school you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Fair Haven VT home, in addition to the price of tuition, will probably be your first 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 initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the cosmetology school 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 meet their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 05743 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Fair Haven VT employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each cosmetologist college that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Fair Haven VT salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. Finally, contact the Vermont school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Many beauty schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden 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 objective is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your desire is to launch a hair salon in Fair Haven VT, 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 require.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Learning and refining cosmetology techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty academy provides limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. So look for alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from a cosmetology program, it’s important that she or he receives aid in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance maintain relationships with Fair Haven VT employers that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Many cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students as well. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an alternative until you determine what financial aid may be available.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Fair Haven VT?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Fair Haven VT area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Fair Haven, Vermont
Fair Haven is a town in Rutland County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,734 at the 2010 census.[2] Within the town is located the census-designated place of Fair Haven. The town is noted for its late 19th century residential and commercial architecture.[3]
Fair Haven was chartered on October 27, 1779, to Ebenezer Allen and 76 associates, and first settled the same year. The township originally included West Haven, which was set off on October 20, 1792. The post office at Fair Haven was established in 1797.[4] In 1783, Colonel Matthew Lyon moved to Fair Haven and began building mills at the falls on the Castleton River. His enterprises included a gristmill, sawmill and papermill, in addition to a forge, as well as a newspaper, the Fair Haven Gazette. This began Fair Haven's legacy as a small, prosperous mill town, which by 1859 included a marble mill, rolling mill, nail factory, papermill producing wallpaper, three sawmills, a wagon shop, a machine shop, two blacksmith shops, and two shoe shops. [5]
The quarrying and manufacture of slate began in 1846. Fair Haven would develop extensive quarries for the stone, believed at the time to be inexhaustible, which was supplied to cities along the Atlantic coast and in the West. Some of it was made into the framed, book-sized writing slates that students of the time used.[5] On April 7, 1880, a very small area of Fair Haven was transferred to New York due to a change in the course in the Poultney River. The area transferred was west of the "middle of the deepest channel" of the river.[6]
Select the Right Cosmetology Vocational School near Fair Haven VT
Choosing and enrolling in the right cosmetology program is important to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to collect all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the academy and program you pick are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and answer 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 start your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Fair Haven VT.
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