Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools Port Orchard WA

How to Select a Cosmetologist College near Port Orchard Washington

nail technicians training at Port Orchard WA beauty school Now that you have decided to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Port Orchard WA, the task starts to find and enroll in the right school. It’s essential that the program you select not only furnishes the necessary education for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be somewhat puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a little bit more regarding that in the upcoming segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Port Orchard home. Tuition will also be a critical consideration when reviewing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not always the right option. There are several other factors that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for instance 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 bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

Port Orchard WA makeup ar4tist applying makeup Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves 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 take some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Port Orchard WA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a customer base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own residences or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many 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 previously stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few 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, including shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Cosmetology Degrees

Port Orchard WA hairdresser cutting hair There are essentially two avenues available to receive 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 typically call for 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 each 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 most likely include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Port Orchard WA business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you opt for, it’s important to make sure that it’s approved by the Washington Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the next segment.

Online Beauty Classes

student attending cosmetology school online in Port Orchard WA Online cosmetology programs are accommodating for Port Orchard WA students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online cosmetology school programs available that can be attended by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are typically fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you’re not spending numerous hours away from your home or driving to and from classes. However, it’s imperative that the training program you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so 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 necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Cosmetology Schools

Questions to ask Port Orchard WA beauty schools Below is a series of questions that you need to investigate for any beauty training school you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Port Orchard WA home, together with the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary 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 decision.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain 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 meet their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 98366 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Port Orchard WA businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each cosmetology school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Port Orchard WA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And last, contact the Washington school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden 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 respected for that program. If your aspiration is to launch a hair salon in Port Orchard WA, 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 seeking will not provide the training you need.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and mastering cosmetology skills and techniques involves lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. So search for alternate schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from a cosmetology school, it’s essential that he or she gets help in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance maintain relationships with Port Orchard WA businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, 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 respected as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Almost all cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students as well. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not drop it as an alternative until you determine what financial assistance may be available.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Port Orchard WA?

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

Port Orchard, Washington

Port Orchard is a city in and the county seat of Kitsap County, Washington, United States.[5] It is located 13 miles due west of West Seattle and connected to Seattle and Vashon Island via the Washington State Ferries run to Southworth. It is named after Port Orchard, the strait that separates Bainbridge Island from the Kitsap Peninsula.[citation needed]

The first European-Americans to settle in what is now Port Orchard were Wiliam Renton and Daniel Howard, who set up a saw mill there in 1854.[6] The town that was to become Port Orchard was originally platted in 1886 by Frederick Stevens, who named the new location after his father, Sidney. The town of Sidney was incorporated September 15, 1890, and was the first in Kitsap County to be both platted and incorporated. Shortly thereafter, the U.S. Navy sought a suitable location for another installation on the west coast, and found it with the assistance of Sidney's residents in Orchard Bay (this installation would later become the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard).

The county seat was originally in Port Madison, but moved after a popular vote to Sidney in 1892. In December of that same year, the residents of Sidney petitioned both the state legislature and the Post Office Department to rename the city to "Port Orchard." The legislature refused, as Charleston (now West Bremerton) had also requested that name. The Post Office Department, however, went through with the name change, and as a result the Port Orchard post office ended up in Sidney, and the Charleston post office ended up in Port Orchard. It wasn't until 1903 that local politician Will Thompson convinced the state legislature to correct this confusing situation, and relocated the Charleston post office to Charleston, at the same time renaming Sidney to "Port Orchard," as it is known today.

Choose the Right Beauty School near Port Orchard WA

Port Orchard WA barber blow drying client's hair Choosing and enrolling in the ideal beauty college is important to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as 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 data to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you select are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are prepared to launch your career as a professional cosmetologist in Port Orchard WA.