How to Pick a Beauty College near Winslow Arizona

Since you have decided to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Winslow AZ, the process starts to locate and enroll in the best school. It’s important that the school you pick not only furnishes the necessary training for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be a little bit puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll talk a bit further regarding that in the next segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Winslow residence. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when reviewing possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the ideal choice. There are several other factors that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding 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 courses are offered.

What is Cosmetology

Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic can be anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you go through some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Winslow AZ beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a client base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many names and are employed in a wide range of specializations including:

• Hairdressers
• Hairstylists
• Beauticians
• Barbers
• Manicurists
• Nail Technicians
• Makeup Artists
• Hair Coloring Specialists
• Estheticians
• Electrolysis Technicians

As already stated, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, for instance 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.

Cosmetology Degrees

There are primarily two options available to receive 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 trained in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you wish to focus on just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Winslow AZ business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you choose, it’s important to make certain that it’s approved by the Arizona Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following segment.

Online Cosmetology Training

Online cosmetology classes are convenient for Winslow AZ students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs offered that can be attended through a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are frequently fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not spending numerous hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the program you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain 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 profession. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Cosmetology Degree Programs

Following is a list of questions that you should investigate for any cosmetologist training school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Winslow AZ home, together with the expense of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have put together several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the cosmetology college you pick 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 meet their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 86047 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Winslow AZ employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation?  Each cosmetology school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. 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 regarded. Check rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Winslow AZ salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And finally, check with the Arizona 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 Focus?  Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you decide on a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your intention 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 dream is to start a hair salon in Winslow AZ, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Any Live Training Provided?  Practicing and refining cosmetology techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. So look for other schools that provide this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  When a student graduates from a beauty academy, it’s imperative that she or he gets assistance in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide assistance maintain relationships with Winslow AZ employers that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered?  Many cosmetology schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Talk to 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 all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not drop it as an option before you learn what financial assistance may be offered.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Winslow AZ?

If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Winslow AZ area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.

Choose the Right Cosmetology Vocational School near Winslow AZ

Choosing and enrolling in the right cosmetology program is essential to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Make certain to collect all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the school and program you select are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. 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 proper selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are prepared to start your career as a professional cosmetologist in Winslow AZ.

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