How to Select a Cosmetologist School near Benson Arizona
Once you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Benson AZ, the task begins to search for and enroll in the ideal school. It’s important that the school you pick not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may be somewhat puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a bit more about that in the following section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Benson residence. Tuition will likewise be an important factor when reviewing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the ideal option. There are a number of other factors that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are offered.
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more attractive through the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of 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 almost anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you take some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Benson AZ beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a customer base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have 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 formerly stated, in the majority of states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Degrees
There are essentially two options offered to obtain cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward 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 trained in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you wish to concentrate on just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Benson AZ business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you go with, it’s essential to make certain that it’s certified by the Arizona Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the following section.
Online Beauty Training
Online beauty schools are convenient for Benson AZ 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 desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are often fast paced since many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not spending many hours away from your home or commuting to and from classes. However, it’s essential that the school 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 portion of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Beauty Training Programs
Below is a series of questions that you will want to research for any cosmetology training school you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Benson AZ home, in addition to the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final selection.
Is the Program 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 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 quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in 85602 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Benson AZ 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 Good Reputation? Every cosmetology institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good 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, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Check rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Benson AZ salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And last, contact the Arizona school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Some cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you choose a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your objective 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 aspiration is to open a hair salon in Benson AZ, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Studying and refining cosmetology skills and techniques involves lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty academy provides little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from a cosmetology school, it’s important that he or she receives support in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish aid maintain relationships with Benson AZ employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Many beauty schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Consult 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 all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not discard it as an alternative before you learn what financial aid may be provided.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Benson AZ?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Benson AZ area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Benson, Arizona
Benson is a city in Cochise County, Arizona, United States, 45 miles (72 km) east-southeast of Tucson. It was founded as a rail terminal for the area, and still serves as such. As of the 2010 census, the population of the city was 5,105.[2]
The city was founded in 1880 when the Southern Pacific Railroad came through. It was named after Judge William S. Benson, a friend of Charles Crocker, president of the Southern Pacific.[4] The railroad, coming overland from California, chose the Benson site to cross the San Pedro River. Benson then served as a rail junction point to obtain ore and refined metal by wagon, in turn shipping rail freight back to the mines at Tombstone, Fairbank, Contention City and Bisbee. For example, the railhead in Benson was about 25 miles (40 km) from Tombstone, and was the closest rail connection to it until 1882, when a feeder line was laid from Benson to Contention City.
The railhead in Benson was founded about a mile from a traditional crossing of the upper San Pedro River (known also as the Middle Crossing), used by the Southern Emigrant Trail and San Antonio-San Diego Mail Line. It was the site of the San Pedro Station of the Butterfield Overland Mail and a wagon depot, the San Pedro River Station, run since 1871 by William Ohnesorgen. In 1878 he had erected a toll bridge over which mining supplies were transported to the new mining camps such as Fairbank and Tombstone. Two years later this bridge marked the location of the railroad bridge that became the terminal site of Benson.
Pick the Right Cosmetology Program near Benson AZ
Choosing and enrolling in the ideal cosmetologist school is important to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive about your decision. Make certain to compile all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the academy and program you decide on are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions provided 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 examination, you will be confident that you are prepared to launch your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Benson AZ.
Other Beautiful Locations in Arizona
Business Results 1 - 10 of 0
