How to Select a Cosmetologist College near Harpers Ferry West Virginia
Now that you have decided to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Harpers Ferry WV, the process begins to find and enroll in the best school. It’s important that the school you choose not only provides the necessary training for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be rather confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a bit further concerning that in the next section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Harpers Ferry home. Tuition will additionally be an important consideration when assessing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not always the right option. There are several other qualifications that you should weigh when analyzing 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 discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are offered.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human anatomy look more attractive through the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be almost anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you go through some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Harpers Ferry WV beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a client base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many titles 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 already stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates
There are essentially two avenues offered to get cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally call for 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree ordinarily takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you prefer to focus on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Harpers Ferry WV business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you go with, it’s essential to make sure that it’s approved by the West Virginia Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize 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 decide on in the next section.
Online Beauty Courses
Online beauty programs are accommodating for Harpers Ferry WV students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous online beauty school programs offered that can be attended by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are typically fast paced since many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not spending many hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the school you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Cosmetologist Degree Programs
Following is a series of questions that you need to look into for any beauty training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Harpers Ferry WV home, as well as the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have collected some of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make certain that the cosmetology school 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in 25425 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Harpers Ferry 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 a Great Reputation? Each cosmetology college that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Harpers Ferry WV salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to propose others that you had not considered. Finally, check with the West 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? Many beauty schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing 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 typically 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 ambition 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 dream is to start a hair salon in Harpers Ferry WV, 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 weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering cosmetology techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty school offers limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the best option for acquiring your skills. So try to find alternate schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from a beauty school, it’s essential that she or he receives aid in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with Harpers Ferry WV businesses that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Most cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students too. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an option before you learn what financial assistance may be offered.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Harpers Ferry WV?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Harpers Ferry WV area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Harpers Ferry, West Virginia
Harpers Ferry, population 286 at the 2010 census, is a historic town in Jefferson County, West Virginia, United States, in the lower Shenandoah Valley. It was formerly spelled Harper's Ferry with an apostrophe —in the 18th century it was the ferry owned and run by Robert Harper — and that form continues to appear in some references.[6] It is situated at the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers, where the U.S. states of Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia meet. It is the easternmost town in West Virginia and during the Civil War the northernmost point of Confederate-controlled territory. (The northernmost Virginia city of Wheeling was strongly anti-slavery, and was the first capital of the breakaway region that became West Virginia.) The town's original, lower section is on a flood plain created by the two rivers and surrounded by higher ground.
The lower part of Harpers Ferry is within Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. Most of the remainder, which includes the more highly populated area, is included in the separate Harpers Ferry Historic District. Two other National Register of Historic Places properties adjoin the town: the B & O Railroad Potomac River Crossing and St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church. Harpers Ferry and the adjoining town of Bolivar, though legally two distinct municipalities, together form one large town.
Because of its geography, Harpers Ferry was a vitally important junction point. In colonial times and through the early U.S. years, its location at the junction of two rivers, and the feasibility of a ferry – the first regular ferry across the Potomac, antedating the founding of Washington – made it a natural site of commerce. Harpers Ferry has a commanding central location on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, running alongside the Potomac and avoiding its rapids, linking Washington with points west.
Find the Right Cosmetologist College near Harpers Ferry WV
Choosing and enrolling in the right cosmetologist college is important to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Don’t forget to consolidate all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the school and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. 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 Harpers Ferry WV.
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