Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools West Point VA

How to Pick a Cosmetology College near West Point Virginia

nail technicians training at West Point VA beauty schoolSince you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near West Point VA, the task begins to locate and enroll in the ideal school. It’s essential that the program you select not only furnishes the proper instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be a little bit confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a bit more regarding that in the upcoming section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your West Point home. Tuition will likewise be an important aspect when reviewing possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the best option. There are many other qualifications that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

West Point VA makeup ar4tist applying makeupCosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you go through some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only West Point VA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a customer base, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own residences or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many names and are employed 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 most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Cosmetology Certificates and Degrees

West Point VA hairdresser cutting hairThere are essentially two avenues offered to get cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally take 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you wish to specialize in just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also probably include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other West Point 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 course you decide on, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s approved by the Virginia Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only certify schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the next segment.

Online Cosmetology Schools

student attending cosmetology school online in West Point VAOnline cosmetology programs are accommodating for West Point 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 beauty school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are frequently fast paced because 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 courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or commuting to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the school you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Beauty Training Courses

Questions to ask West Point VA beauty schoolsFollowing is a series of questions that you will want to research for any cosmetology training school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your West Point VA home, as well as the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and consider 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 determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the cosmetology college you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 23181 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of West Point VA businesses 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 beauty college that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with West Point VA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And finally, consult the Virginia school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus?  Some beauty schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you choose a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your ambition 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 West Point VA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided?  Practicing and refining cosmetology skills and techniques requires lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty program provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. So search for alternate schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  When a student graduates from a cosmetology school, it’s important that she or he gets help in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide assistance maintain relationships with West Point VA employers that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, find out 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 Aid Offered?  Almost all beauty schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating 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 offered to students also. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an option until you learn what financial help may be available.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near West Point VA?

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

West Point, Virginia

West Point is located at 37°32′37″N 76°48′19″W / 37.54361°N 76.80528°W / 37.54361; -76.80528 (37.543733, −76.805366).[3] The York River is formed at West Point by the confluence of the Mattaponi and Pamunkey rivers; from there, it separates the Virginia Peninsula and Middle Peninsula regions of eastern Virginia as it flows approximately 40 miles to the Chesapeake Bay.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 6.7 square miles (17.2 km²), of which, 5.2 square miles (13.3 km²) of it is land and 1.5 square miles (4.0 km²) of it (23.12%) is water.

The current site of West Point was once the site of Cinquoteck, a Native American village of the local Mattaponi, an Algonquian-speaking tribe affiliated with the Powhatan Confederacy. During the first half of the 17th century, the Confederacy and the English colonists who established their first permanent settlement at Jamestown in 1607 were frequently in conflict. By mid-century, the Natives had been largely overcome, including the area of Cinquoteck, by the ever-expanding Colony of Virginia.

Select the Right Cosmetology College near West Point VA

West Point VA barber blow drying client's hairChoosing and enrolling in the right beauty program is essential to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Don’t forget to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the institution and program you choose are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions presented 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 examination, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your new career as a professional cosmetologist in West Point VA.

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