How to Select a Beauty School near Mount Holly Virginia
Once you have decided to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Mount Holly VA, the task starts to find and enroll in the right school. It’s imperative that the school you choose not only furnishes 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 might be a little bit unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a bit further about that in the upcoming section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Mount Holly home. Tuition will also be an important factor when assessing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not always the ideal choice. There are many other considerations that you should weigh when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are available.
Defining Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So of course 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 actually 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, the majority of states require that you undergo some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Mount Holly VA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a customer base, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional names 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 previously stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few 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, which include shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Degrees
There are primarily two options offered to obtain 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 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 major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you prefer to specialize in just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Mount Holly VA business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you choose, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s certified by the Virginia Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the following section.
Online Beauty Training
Online beauty schools are accommodating for Mount Holly VA students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are often fast paced because many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the program you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Cosmetologist Training Classes
Following is a list of questions that you will want to research for any cosmetologist training school you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Mount Holly VA residence, as well as the cost of tuition, will most likely 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 narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the cosmetology training program you select 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 securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 22524 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Mount Holly VA employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each beauty institute 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 references 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 regarded. Check rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Mount Holly VA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And finally, consult the Virginia school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you select a school that specializes in 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 vision is to launch a hair salon in Mount Holly VA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and perfecting cosmetology techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty courses 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 school provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best option for cultivating your skills. So look for alternate schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from a beauty program, it’s important that he or she gets aid in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide assistance maintain relationships with Mount Holly VA businesses that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Many cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Consult 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 all 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 Mount Holly VA?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Mount Holly VA area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Mount Holly, Virginia
Enroll in the Right Cosmetology Program near Mount Holly VA
Finding and enrolling in the ideal cosmetologist school is important to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Make certain to collect all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to contrast schools. A good start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the school and program you choose are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are ready to begin your career as a professional cosmetologist in Mount Holly VA.
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