How to Choose a Beauty School near Burlington West Virginia
Since you have decided to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Burlington WV, the task starts to locate and enroll in the right school. It’s essential that the program you choose not only provides the proper instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may be somewhat puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a little bit further regarding that in the upcoming section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Burlington residence. Tuition will likewise be an important factor when evaluating potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not always the best choice. There are several other factors that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are offered.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more attractive with the application 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 basically a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states mandate that you undergo some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Burlington WV beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s residence, 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 earlier stated, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates
There are basically two options 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 normally 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 main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you want 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 Burlington WV 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 program you decide on, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s approved by the West Virginia Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next section.
Online Cosmetologist Training
Online cosmetology schools are convenient for Burlington WV students who are working full-time and have family commitments that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs offered 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 given that many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable 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 away from your home or driving to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s vital that the training program you choose can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Beauty Trade Schools
Following is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any cosmetologist training school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Burlington WV residence, together with the price of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want 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 initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the cosmetology school you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 26710 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Burlington WV businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any cosmetologist college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Burlington WV salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And last, check with the West 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 Specialty? Some beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you select a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your objective is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to launch a hair salon in Burlington WV, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and perfecting cosmetology techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty academy offers limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a beauty academy, it’s imperative that she or he gets help in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide aid develope relationships with Burlington WV employers that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Many cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and learn 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 accessible to students too. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you learn what financial assistance may be available.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Burlington WV?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Burlington WV area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Burlington, West Virginia
Burlington is a census-designated place (CDP) in Mineral County, West Virginia located along U.S. Route 50 (also known as the Northwestern Turnpike) where it crosses Pattersons Creek. As of the 2010 census, its population was 182.[2] It is part of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. The ZIP code for Burlington is 26710.
Burlington is the home of the Old Fashioned Apple Harvest Festival (started in 1973), which has grown into the biggest celebration of its kind in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. It is held annually on the first weekend of October.
Burlington is situated along the old Northwestern Turnpike (US 50) in southeastern Mineral County, West Virginia. German and English settlers began to populate the area of Burlington in the second quarter of the 18th century following the surveying of Patterson Creek Manor by Thomas, Lord Fairfax in 1738.
Find the Right Cosmetologist School near Burlington WV
Finding and enrolling in the right cosmetology program is imperative to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to organize all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you pick 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 reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are ready to launch your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Burlington WV.
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