How to Enroll In a Cosmetology School near Elkins West Virginia
Once you have decided to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Elkins WV, the task starts to locate and enroll in the ideal school. It’s imperative that the program you pick not only provides the proper 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 rather confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a bit more about that in the next segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Elkins residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical factor when evaluating prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the ideal choice. There are many other factors that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are offered.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic can be anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you take some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Elkins WV beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a client base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles 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 previously stated, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Degrees
There are basically two avenues offered to receive cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally require 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 trained in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you want to focus on just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Elkins WV business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, 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 essential to make sure that it’s certified by the West Virginia Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next section.
Online Cosmetology Training
Online cosmetology programs are accommodating for Elkins WV students who are working full-time and have family commitments that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online beauty school programs available that can be attended through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are typically fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not devoting many hours away from your home or commuting to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the program you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Cosmetologist Degree Programs
Below is a series of questions that you need to investigate for any cosmetologist training school you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Elkins WV home, together with the price of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make certain that the cosmetology college you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 26241 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Elkins WV businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every cosmetology school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Elkins WV salon owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. Finally, contact the West Virginia 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 Specialty? Some cosmetology schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you decide on a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your objective is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your desire is to open a hair salon in Elkins WV, then you want 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 require.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and refining cosmetology skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a cosmetology academy, it’s crucial that he or she gets help in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer aid maintain relationships with Elkins WV businesses that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at 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 extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Most cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at 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 each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an alternative before you learn what financial aid may be provided.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Elkins WV?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Elkins WV area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Elkins, West Virginia
Elkins is a city in and the county seat of Randolph County, West Virginia, United States. The community was incorporated in 1890 and named in honor of Stephen Benton Elkins[8], a U.S. Senator from West Virginia. The population was 7,094 at the 2010 census. Elkins is home to Davis and Elkins College and to the Mountain State Forest Festival, held in early October every year.[9]
Before its major development, the area that would become Elkins was known as Leadsville, and was the site of a few scattered homesteads – a place where the local farmers' corn crop was loaded onto boats and floated down the Tygart Valley River. The City of Elkins was developed by U.S. Senators Henry Gassaway Davis (1823–1916) and Stephen Benton Elkins (1841–1911) – and named for the latter – in 1890. (Elkins was Davis' son-in-law.) The two founders developed railroad lines, coal mines, and timbering businesses. Together, they built the West Virginia Central and Pittsburgh Railway into Elkins in 1889, opening a vast territory to industrial development by the late 1890s. After an intense political "war" with nearby Beverly, where the new county courthouse building was burned down in 1897 under suspicious circumstances,[citation needed] Elkins became the county seat in 1899. This was resolved, however, only after multiple referenda, court judgments, and the mobilization of armed bands in both towns. In the end, bloodshed was averted.
In 1904 the new Randolph County Courthouse – designed in the Richardsonian Romanesque style – was completed in Elkins. As the railroad (merged into the Western Maryland Railway in 1905) expanded, Elkins experienced the luxury of passenger train service. In 1930, 18 passenger trains were arriving and leaving Elkins daily. All passenger service was discontinued in 1958.
Find the Right Beauty Vocational School near Elkins WV
Finding and enrolling in the right cosmetologist school is important to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to collect all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you choose are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are prepared to launch your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Elkins WV.
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