How to Choose a Beauty School near Epes Alabama
Now that you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Epes AL, the process begins to locate and enroll in the ideal school. It’s imperative that the program you choose 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 may be somewhat 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 type of school. We’ll talk a little bit further concerning that in the next segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Epes residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical aspect when assessing possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not always the right choice. There are many other considerations that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are offered.
Defining Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more attractive with the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you go through some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Epes AL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a customer base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many professional names and work in a wide range of specializations including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As previously mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Degrees and Certificates
There are essentially two options offered to get 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 generally call for 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you want to focus on just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also probably include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Epes AL business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you decide on, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s certified by the Alabama Board of Cosmetology. Many states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming section.
Online Beauty Classes
Online cosmetology schools are convenient for Epes AL students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are many web-based beauty school programs available that can be attended by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are often fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not spending numerous hours away from your home or driving to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the program you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Beauty Trade Schools
Following is a list of questions that you will want to look into for any cosmetology training program you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Epes AL home, in addition to the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those initial 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 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 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 measure up to their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 35460 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Epes AL employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every cosmetologist institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Epes AL salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to propose others that you had not considered. Finally, consult the Alabama school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of beauty schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you enroll in a school that focuses on 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 respected for that program. If your aspiration is to open a hair salon in Epes AL, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering cosmetology skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty academy offers little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. So search for other schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from a beauty academy, it’s important that he or she receives support in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develope relationships with Epes AL businesses that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, ask 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 Aid Available? Almost all beauty schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Speak with 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 offered to students also. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you determine what financial aid may be provided.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Epes AL?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Epes AL area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Epes, Alabama
Epes is located near Jones Bluff, overlooking the Tombigbee River.[4] It is located at 32°41′26″N 88°7′27″W / 32.69056°N 88.12417°W / 32.69056; -88.12417 (32.690497, -88.124182).[5] According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.9 square miles (4.9 km2), all land.[citation needed]
Epes has its origins in Fort de Tombecbé (Fort Tombecbe), one of the major fortifications built under Louis XIV of France, in what is now the American south, in the early eighteenth century.[6][4] In January 1736, Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne, Sieur de Bienville, governor of Louisiana, recruited a Swiss officer serving with the French, Joseph Christophe de Lusser, to construct a fort on the Tombigbee River, "atop an 80-foot bluff to support his campaign against the Chickasaws" that was to proceed in the year following; Bienville visited the site in April of the same year, and took control of the construction, leading to its completion and its support of his martial efforts against the Native Americans.[6][4] After a 26-year stay, during which the French used this and other holdings to check "westward expansion by the British into the French colony of Louisiana," and to serve "as a trading post, solidifying France's relations with the Choctaws... the most powerful French ally in the area," the French ceded the fort, with most of its North American territory, to Great Britain under the Treaty of Paris, surrendering Tombecbé in November 1763; the British inspected and renamed it Fort York, although its actual inhabitation would await a recurrence of hostilities between the Choctaw and Creek Indians in 1766.[6] Records of those overseeing the fort in this period document the challenge of supplying such a remote location, and after a 1768 truce ended the hostilities between the Choctaw and Creeks, the British abandoned Fort York, with Choctaws being the remaining inhabitants of the area until this tribe ceded a small parcel of land that included the fort to the Spanish in 1792/1793, under the Treaty of Boucfouca.[6][7] As little of the original fortification structures remained when Spain arrived to take control in 1794, the Spanish chose to construct "a smaller but more substantial earthen structure" (rather building further wooden fortifications); they renamed the site and their resulting structure Fort Confederacion, in recognition of the alliance the Spanish had struck with Native American groups to assist them in resisting encroachment by commerce and settlements from the United States.[6] Fortifications were completed before the beginning of 1796, in time to provide support to the Spanish when war broke out with the United States, and when hostilities began again between the Chickasaw and Creek Indians; the Treaty of San Lorenzo, between Spain and the young U.S., ended that part of the hostilities, and ceded Spanish territory "above the 31st parallel," including the Fort, to the U.S, "thus marking the end of the European colonial era in Alabama."[6]
Epes was incorporated in 1899 and named for Dr. John W. Epes, who donated the right-of-way for Southern Railroad (if the town would be named Epes). The town is located on the high bluffs of the Tombigbee River. Standing on the bluffs, you could hear the ferries and steamboats traveling down river. During its prime, it was known as the transportation and business and service center. It had three cotton gins, a cotton compress, cotton seed oil mill, creamery, handle company, The Casey Hotel, The Bowers Boarding House, a school, two grocery stores, a drug store, general merchandising stores, and two livery stables. The second stockyard in Alabama opened in Epes in 1936.[8]
Enroll in the Right Cosmetology College near Epes AL
Selecting and enrolling in the right cosmetology college is essential to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to organize all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the academy and program you select are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are ready to begin your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Epes AL.
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