How to Select a Cosmetologist School near Addison Alabama
Once you have decided to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Addison AL, the task starts to find and enroll in the best school. It’s important that the school you pick not only furnishes the appropriate training for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be somewhat unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a bit more regarding that in the upcoming segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Addison residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical factor when assessing possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the ideal option. There are a number of other factors that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are available.
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more attractive with the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states mandate that you go through some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Addison AL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a clientele, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many 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 already stated, in most states practicing 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, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Certificates and Degrees
There are essentially two options available to receive cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally take 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 instructed in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you wish to focus on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Addison AL business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you go with, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s approved by the Alabama Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify 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 following segment.
Online Beauty Schools
Online beauty schools are convenient for Addison AL students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it challenging 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 home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are frequently fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not spending many hours outside of your home or travelling to and from classes. However, it’s essential that the school you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Beauty Programs
Below is a series of questions that you need to look into for any cosmetologist training school you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Addison AL home, together with the price of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected 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 sure that the cosmetology training program you enroll in 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 guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 35540 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Addison AL employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any beauty college that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses 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 along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Addison AL salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. And finally, contact the Alabama school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Many beauty schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you choose a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your ambition 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 dream is to start a hair salon in Addison AL, 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 seeking will not provide the training you require.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Practicing and perfecting cosmetology techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty program provides limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. So look for other schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a beauty academy, it’s essential that she or he receives support in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with Addison AL employers that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Talk to 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 offered to students too. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an option until you find out what financial assistance may be provided.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Addison AL?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Addison AL area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Addison, Alabama
As of the 2010 Census Addison had a population of 757. The population was 99.1% white, 0.1% black or African American, 0.1% Asian, 0.7% from two or more races and 0.4% Hispanic or Latino of any race.[10]
As of the census[11] of 2000, there were 723 people, 315 households, and 219 families residing in the town. The population density was 205.7 people per square mile (79.5/km²). There were 339 housing units at an average density of 96.5 per square mile (37.3/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 99.45% White, 0.14% Black or African American, 0.14% Native American, 0.14% Asian, and 0.14% from two or more races. 0.14% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 315 households out of which 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.0% were married couples living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.2% were non-families. 28.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.78.
Select the Right Beauty College near Addison AL
Selecting and enrolling in the right cosmetology college is important to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to organize all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the institution and program you decide on are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are ready to start your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Addison AL.
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