How to Find the Right Beauty School near Accomac Virginia
Now that you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Accomac VA, the process starts to search for and enroll in the best school. It’s imperative that the school you select not only provides the necessary instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be a little bit puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a little bit further regarding that in the next segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Accomac home. Tuition will additionally be a critical consideration when evaluating prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the right choice. There are various other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are offered.
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more attractive through the use 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 word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you go through some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Accomac VA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many titles and work in a wide range of specialties including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As earlier stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Certificates and Degrees
There are primarily two options available to obtain cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually take 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 instructed in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you prefer to specialize in 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 operate a salon or other Accomac VA business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you choose, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s recognized by the Virginia Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the following section.
Online Cosmetology Programs
Online beauty classes are accommodating for Accomac VA students who are working full-time and have family commitments that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are often fast paced since many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you’re not spending many hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the program you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Cosmetology Training Courses
Following is a series of questions that you need to look into for any beauty training school you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Accomac VA home, in addition to the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the cosmetology training program you enroll in 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 23301 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Accomac VA businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every beauty college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Accomac VA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And last, check with the Virginia school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Many beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you enroll in 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 well regarded for that program. If your dream is to open a hair salon in Accomac VA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and perfecting cosmetology techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty academy provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. So search for alternate schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a cosmetology program, it’s imperative that he or she gets support in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance maintain relationships with Accomac VA employers that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire 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 regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Almost all cosmetology schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students also. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an option until you determine what financial aid may be available.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Accomac VA?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Accomac VA area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Accomac, Virginia
Though Accomack County was established as one of Virginia's eight original shires in 1634, the government was situated in the southern part of the Eastern Shore near Eastville until the division of the shore into two counties (Northampton and Accomack) in 1663.[5] During this era, religious diversity began in the area, as Presbyterian Francis Makemie received a plantation nearby which he used as a base for his mercantile and missionary journeys, and where he died at age 50 a few years after winning a New York court case brought against his preaching (as the Scots-Irish emigrant to Maryland's Eastern Shore counties produced a preaching license from Barbados). Early Baptist Elijah Baker (Baptist) also arrived near Accomac before the American Revolutionary War, and was likewise imprisoned for unauthorized preaching, but eventually also had that case dismissed.
After the creation of the present-day Accomack County, the court convened alternatively at Pungoteague and Onancock until the 1690s when it shifted to the house of John Cole at the site that later became the town of Accomac, then known by the name Matompkin. A brick courthouse was built in 1756 and the surrounding settlement became known as Accomack Courthouse.[6] On December 7, 1786, Richard Drummond, Gilbert Poiley, John McLean, Edward Kerr, Catherine Scott, Patience Robertson, and William Berkeley petitioned the Virginia House of Delegates for the creation of an incorporated town at Accomack Courthouse.[7] Their petition was granted and the House of Delegates passed an "Act to establish a Town at the Courthouse of the county of Accomack...by the name of Drummond," named in honor of the chief landholder in the new town.[8] Many of the town's historic houses, churches, and other buildings were constructed between the last decade of the eighteenth century and first half of the nineteenth century, representing vernacular interpretations of late Georgian, Federal, and Greek Revival architectural styles, as the town prospered as the terminus of a ferry across Chesapeake Bay. The modern ferry only travels between nearby Onancock, Virginia and Tangier Island.
During the American Civil War, the Union Army occupied the Eastern Shore to cut supply lines to the south and prevent the Confederate Army from using the shore as a staging area to attack the north through Maryland.[9] Union General Henry H. Lockwood commanded the occupying forces and established a headquarters in the rectory of St. James Episcopal Church (then home to town physician Dr. Peter F. Browne).[10] Other than damages to the Presbyterian and Methodist Churches which were used by the army for stables and housing, Drummondtown escaped the war with little damage.
Find the Right Cosmetology Training Program near Accomac VA
Picking and enrolling in the right 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 so as to feel certain about your decision. Don’t forget to organize all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are prepared to launch your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Accomac VA.
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