How to Pick a Cosmetology College near Gainestown Alabama
Now that you have decided to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Gainestown AL, the task starts to find and enroll in the best school. It’s essential that the school you select not only provides the necessary training 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 unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a little bit more about that in the following segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Gainestown residence. Tuition will likewise be an important consideration when evaluating possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the right option. There are several other qualifications that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are offered.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be almost 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 undergo some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Gainestown AL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many professional names and are employed in a wide variety of specializations including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As earlier stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Degrees
There are basically two avenues 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 require 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 focus on just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Gainestown AL business. Higher 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 opt for, it’s important to make sure that it’s approved by the Alabama Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the next segment.
Online Cosmetology Schools
Online cosmetology classes are convenient for Gainestown AL students who are employed full-time and have family commitments that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are frequently fast paced given that many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not spending many hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it’s important that the school you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills necessary to work in any area 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 Cosmetologist Degree Programs
Following is a series of questions that you should research for any cosmetologist training school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Gainestown AL home, as well as the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the cosmetology training program you enroll in 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not obtainable in 36540 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Gainestown AL businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any cosmetologist institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Gainestown AL salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. 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 Specialty? A number of beauty schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you choose a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your vision is to open a hair salon in Gainestown AL, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Practicing and refining cosmetology skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for developing your skills. So search for alternate schools that furnish this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a cosmetology academy, it’s essential that she or he gets help in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide assistance maintain relationships with Gainestown AL employers that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Almost all beauty schools provide 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 identify 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 offered to students also. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an option before you find out what financial aid may be provided.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Gainestown AL?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Gainestown AL area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Gainestown, Alabama
Gainestown is an unincorporated community on the Alabama River in Clarke County, Alabama, United States. It was named for George Strother Gaines. Gaines established an Indian trading post here in 1809.[1]
The exact date for the founding of the town is unclear. However, the community was being referred to as Gainestown by 1815, following the end of the Creek War and subsequent closure of the trading post in 1814. Gainestown grew to be a large town during the heyday of river-based transport, but a slow decline began after the American Civil War.[2]
A tornado on March 26, 1911 destroyed at least 12 homes and much of the town.[2] A contemporaneous account of the storm stated that a dry goods store at Gainestown was destroyed, with fragments of its products found as far away as 30 miles (48 km) to the east, in Monroe County.[3]
Select the Right Beauty School near Gainestown AL
Finding and enrolling in the right cosmetologist school is important to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Make certain to collect all of the responses 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 beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the school and program you choose are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, 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 test, you will be confident that you are prepared to begin your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Gainestown AL.
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