How to Select a Cosmetology School near Onalaska Wisconsin

Since you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Onalaska WI, the task starts to locate and enroll in the best school. It’s essential that the school you pick not only furnishes the necessary instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you might be somewhat unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a bit more about that in the next segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Onalaska home. Tuition will additionally be a critical factor when assessing prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not always the ideal option. There are several other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are offered.

What is Cosmetology

Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more attractive through 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 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 licensed, the work environments include not only Onalaska WI beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many professional names and are employed 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 working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Cosmetologist Degrees

There are basically two pathways available to receive cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually call for 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Onalaska WI business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you opt for, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s approved by the Wisconsin Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming segment.

Online Beauty Schools

Online beauty classes are accommodating for Onalaska WI students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based beauty school programs available that can be accessed via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are typically fast paced because many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting many hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it’s essential that the program you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology field. 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

Below is a series of questions that you should research for any beauty training program you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Onalaska WI home, together with the price of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly 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 consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have collected some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make certain that the cosmetology training program you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 54650 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Onalaska WI employers will not recruit 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 institute 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 references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Onalaska WI salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And finally, check with the Wisconsin school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus?  Some beauty schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you pick 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 respected for that program. If your dream is to open a hair salon in Onalaska WI, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.

Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided?  Learning and refining cosmetology techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. So try to find alternate schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  When a student graduates from a beauty academy, it’s essential that she or he receives help in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide aid develope relationships with Onalaska WI businesses that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered?  Many beauty schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students also. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not discard it as an option before you determine what financial help may be offered.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Onalaska WI?

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

Find the Right Cosmetologist Training Program near Onalaska WI

Picking and enrolling in the right cosmetology school is essential to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Make certain to organize all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you choose are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are ready to start your career as a professional cosmetologist in Onalaska WI.

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