How to Pick a Beauty College near Slatyfork West Virginia
Once you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Slatyfork WV, the process begins to search for and enroll in the ideal school. It’s essential that the program you pick not only provides the necessary instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you might be rather confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a little bit more about that in the next segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Slatyfork home. Tuition will likewise be a critical factor when reviewing potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the best choice. There are a number of other qualifications that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are available.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word 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 go through some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Slatyfork WV beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a client base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many professional names 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 earlier mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain 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, which include shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Degrees
There are primarily two options 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 take 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Slatyfork WV business. More advanced degrees are not common, 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 important to make sure that it’s certified by the West Virginia Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming segment.
Online Cosmetology Training
Online beauty schools are accommodating for Slatyfork WV students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs offered that can be accessed through a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced since many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not spending numerous hours away from your home or driving to and from classes. However, it’s essential that the school you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills necessary to work in any facet 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 Cosmetologist Degree Programs
Below is a list of questions that you need to research for any cosmetology training program you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Slatyfork WV residence, together with the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you want 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 preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have collected several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the cosmetology school you select 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 measure up to their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 26291 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Slatyfork WV businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any beauty college that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Slatyfork 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 might even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. And finally, contact the West Virginia school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? A number of 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 instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you enroll in a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your intention 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 desire is to start a hair salon in Slatyfork 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 pursuing will not provide the training you need.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and refining cosmetology skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty academy furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for developing your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from a beauty school, it’s imperative that she or he gets help in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide aid maintain relationships with Slatyfork WV businesses that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering 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 affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most beauty 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 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 accessible to students too. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you find out what financial assistance may be available.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Slatyfork WV?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Slatyfork WV area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Elk River (West Virginia)
The Elk River is a tributary of the Kanawha River, 172 miles (277 km) long,[7] in central West Virginia in the United States. Via the Kanawha and Ohio rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River.
The Elk is formed in the Allegheny Mountains in Pocahontas County by the confluence of two short streams, the Big Spring Fork and the Old Field Fork, which join near the community of Slatyfork. It flows above ground for several miles before it sinks into a network of caverns and flows underground for more than five miles. The old riverbed of solid rock, however, remains above ground in this section known as "The Dries." It follows a generally westward course across the unglaciated Allegheny Plateau, through Randolph, Webster, Braxton, Clay, and Kanawha Counties, past the towns of Webster Springs, Sutton, Gassaway, Clay, Clendenin, and Elkview before joining the Kanawha River at Charleston.
The upper portion of the river, above Sutton Lake, is a popular coldwater trout stream. Some reports of a 2013 Wake Forest University study of selenium contamination in Sutton Lake in North Carolina (allegedly due to coal ash from the Sutton power plant of Duke Energy). erroneously attributed this contamination to Sutton Lake in West Virginia.[9] Sutton Lake in North Carolina is on the Cape Fear River; whereas Sutton Lake in West Virginia is on the Elk River, an entirely different river drainage basin. [10][11]
Choose the Right Beauty School near Slatyfork WV
Choosing and enrolling in the ideal beauty program is essential to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Don’t forget to organize all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the academy and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to launch your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Slatyfork WV.
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