How to Find the Right Beauty College near New Hope Alabama
Since you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near New Hope AL, the task starts to find and enroll in the best school. It’s imperative that the program you choose not only furnishes the proper instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you may be a little bit unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a bit more regarding that in the upcoming segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your New Hope home. Tuition will additionally be an important factor when evaluating possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the ideal choice. There are many other qualifications that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are available.
Defining Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more attractive with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many 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 almost anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you take some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only New Hope AL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a customer base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many titles 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 practicing cosmetologists must 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.
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) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically call for 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 each of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you want to specialize in just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other New Hope AL business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you decide on, 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 reputable agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following section.
Online Cosmetology Schools
Online beauty classes are accommodating for New Hope AL students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed through a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools are typically fast paced given that many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the program you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Beauty Training Courses
Following is a list of questions that you will want to investigate for any cosmetologist training school you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your New Hope AL residence, together with the price of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn 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 must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have put together several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the cosmetology school 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 comply with their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 35760 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many New Hope AL employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each cosmetologist school that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with New Hope AL salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And last, check with 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 cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically 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 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 vision is to open a hair salon in New Hope AL, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and refining cosmetology techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty academy provides limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the best option for cultivating your skills. Therefore look for other schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from a cosmetology academy, it’s imperative that he or she receives help in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide aid develope relationships with New Hope AL businesses that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Almost all beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students also. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not drop it as an alternative before you determine what financial aid may be offered.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near New Hope AL?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater New Hope AL area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
New Hope, Alabama
Originally named Cloud's Town in 1829 by its founder, William Cloud, it was incorporated in 1832 under the name of Vienna. Lieutenant Colonel Alfred Reed of the 12th Indiana Cavalry seized the town on May 29, 1864, during the American Civil War. Vienna was burned by the Union Army on December 15, 1864 because of the constant skirmishes with the guerrilla fighters in the area. All that remained were the post office and Masonic Lodge.[4] Since there was already a post office called Vienna in southern Alabama and rules were that there could not be two post offices with the same name at that time, the rebuilt city was incorporated in 1883 as New Hope, taking its name from the New Hope Methodist Church. The settlement known as Cloud's Town was actually settled in what is now known as Cloud's Cove just off Hobbs Island Road and is a few miles from the town of New Hope.
Note that New Hope did not appear on the 1890 and 1940-1950 U.S. Censuses. In the case of the latter two years, it is likely their incorporation charter lapsed and was not renewed until prior to its reappearance on the 1960 U.S. Census.
As of the census[9] of 2000, there were 2,539 people, 1,033 households, and 729 families residing in the city. The population density was 287.6 people per square mile (111.0/km²). There were 1,124 housing units at an average density of 127.3 per square mile (49.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.80% White, 0.39% Black or African American, 1.81% Native American, 0.24% Asian, 0.67% from other races, and 2.09% from two or more races. 0.95% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
Select the Right Cosmetologist Program near New Hope AL
Selecting and enrolling in the ideal cosmetologist program is important to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Make certain to compile all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you choose are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and address 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 exam, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your new career as a professional cosmetologist in New Hope AL.
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