How to Choose a Cosmetology School near Trussville Alabama
Once you have decided to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Trussville AL, the process starts to find and enroll in the best school. It’s essential that the program you select not only furnishes the necessary instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be a little bit unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll talk a little bit more concerning that in the upcoming section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Trussville residence. Tuition will additionally be an important factor when assessing prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the right choice. There are several other considerations that you should weigh when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are available.
Defining Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic can be anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you go through some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Trussville AL beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many titles and work in a wide variety of specialties 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 have to be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, for example 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 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 pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically 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 trained in all 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 Trussville AL business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you go with, it’s important to make sure that it’s approved by the Alabama Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the following section.
Online Cosmetologist Training
Online beauty classes are advantageous for Trussville AL students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are often fast paced since many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not spending many hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. However, it’s important that the school you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Cosmetology Trade Schools
Below is a series of questions that you will want to look into for any cosmetologist training program you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Trussville AL residence, in addition to the expense of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish 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 program. Below we have collected some of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.
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 certified local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 35173 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Trussville AL employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any cosmetology college that you are seriously evaluating 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 employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Trussville AL salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. And finally, contact the Alabama school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Some beauty schools offer programs that are broad 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 imperative that you decide on a school that specializes in 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 well regarded for that program. If your desire is to open a hair salon in Trussville AL, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide 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 furnished in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty program offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. So try to find alternate schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a cosmetology academy, it’s essential that she or he receives assistance in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide aid develope relationships with Trussville AL businesses that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm 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. Higher rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Most beauty schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and find out 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 too. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you find out what financial help may be available.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Trussville AL?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Trussville AL area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Trussville, Alabama
Trussville is a city in Jefferson and St. Clair counties in the State of Alabama. It is a suburb of Birmingham and part of the Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Statistical Area. Its estimated 2015 population was 21,023.[3]
Trussville has been recognized as one of the most livable cities in the state and country. It was named one of the ten best towns in Alabama for young families,[4] listed among the five best Birmingham suburbs,[5] and included in Money magazine's list of 100 best places to live in America.[6]
The first European settler to establish residence in the area was Warren Truss, who entered the area with his brothers and constructed a grist mill on the Cahaba River in 1821. Truss was a North Carolina man of English descent.[8] Trussville remained an agricultural community until after the Civil War, when the Alabama-Chattanooga Railway was built through the city. By 1886 a blast furnace was built on what is now the site of the new Cahaba Elementary School. Trussville was listed as an incorporated community on the 1890[9] and 1900[10] U.S. Census rolls. At some point after 1900 until its reincorporation in 1947, it did not appear on census records.
Select the Right Cosmetology College near Trussville AL
Picking and enrolling in the right beauty school is essential to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to organize all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you select are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, 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 right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are ready to begin your career as a professional cosmetologist in Trussville AL.
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