Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools Columbiana AL

How to Find the Right Beauty School near Columbiana Alabama

nail technicians training at Columbiana AL beauty school Since you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Columbiana AL, the process begins to find and enroll in the best school. It’s imperative that the program you pick not only provides the proper instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be somewhat puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a bit further concerning that in the upcoming segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Columbiana residence. Tuition will additionally be a critical consideration when assessing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the right choice. There are various other factors that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are available.

What is Cosmetology

Columbiana AL makeup ar4tist applying makeup Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic can be anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you take some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Columbiana AL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many names and are employed in a wide range of specialties including:

Hairdressers
Hairstylists
Beauticians
Barbers
Manicurists
Nail Technicians
Makeup Artists
Hair Coloring Specialists
Estheticians
Electrolysis Technicians

As already mentioned, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates

Columbiana AL hairdresser cutting hair There are primarily two options offered to obtain cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally 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 instructed in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you want to concentrate on just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Columbiana 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. Whatever type of training program you choose, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s certified by the Alabama Board of Cosmetology. Many states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming section.

Online Cosmetology Classes

student attending cosmetology school online in Columbiana AL Online beauty classes are advantageous for Columbiana AL students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools are frequently fast paced since many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not spending many hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it’s important that the program you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Cosmetology Schools

Questions to ask Columbiana AL beauty schools Below is a series of questions that you will want to look into for any beauty training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Columbiana AL home, as well as the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled some of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 35051 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Columbiana AL businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every cosmetologist institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Columbiana AL salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. And finally, contact the Alabama school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Many beauty schools offer programs that are expansive 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 imperative that you enroll in 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 desire is to start a hair salon in Columbiana AL, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.

Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and perfecting cosmetology techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty program furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from a cosmetology school, it’s imperative that he or she gets assistance in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance develope relationships with Columbiana AL employers that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? Almost all beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students as well. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not drop it as an alternative before you learn what financial help may be provided.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Columbiana AL?

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

Columbiana, Alabama

Columbiana, originally called Columbia, was selected as the county seat of Shelby County in 1826 over rivals Calera and Montevallo. After the selection as the county seat, Columbiana celebrated by drilling holes in a large pine tree and packing it with gunpowder. The tree was blown up and the sound could be heard for miles. Later in 1826, the courthouse was moved to an old school building in Columbiana.

An act of the Alabama Legislature officially changed the name of Shelby County's county seat to Columbiana on January 13, 1832. Columbiana was incorporated on December 5, 1837 with corporate limits one-quarter of a mile in each direction from the public square.

In 1854, the decision was made to build a larger courthouse at the south end of “Silk Stocking Road”, now Main Street. From 1854 to 1908 several additions and changes were made to the courthouse. During the American Civil War, Columbiana was connected to the nearby town of Shelby by the Shelby Iron Company Railroad, which connected the Shelby Iron Works to the Alabama and Tennessee River Railroad. The Iron Works supplied iron to the C.B. Churchill and Company foundry, which moved to Columbiana in 1862 after the fall of Corinth, Mississippi. The Churchill foundry made eight and ten pound shot, eight and ten pound shells, and shells for Blakely rifles.[4] The C.B. Churchill and Company foundry, Shelby Iron Works and the railroad were destroyed by Union forces on March 31, 1865, as part of Wilson's Raid.

Enroll in the Right Cosmetology Program near Columbiana AL

Columbiana AL barber blow drying client's hair Choosing and enrolling in the ideal beauty college is important to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Don’t forget to organize all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you pick are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin 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. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your career as a professional cosmetologist in Columbiana AL.