How to Pick a Cosmetology School near Benton Arkansas
Now that you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Benton AR, the process begins to locate and enroll in the right school. It’s essential that the program you pick not only provides the necessary training for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be somewhat confused about the difference 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 speak a bit further about that in the next section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Benton home. Tuition will additionally be an important factor when reviewing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the ideal option. There are several other qualifications that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are available.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more attractive with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are referred to 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. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you take some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Benton AR beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many titles and work in a wide range of specialties including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As previously mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Certificates and Degrees
There are primarily two avenues available to obtain cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally require 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you want to specialize in just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Benton AR business. More advanced degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you go with, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s certified by the Arkansas Board of Cosmetology. Many states only approve schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming section.
Online Cosmetology Training
Online cosmetology classes are advantageous for Benton AR students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed through a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are often fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not devoting many hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it’s imperative that the school you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Cosmetology Schools
Following is a series of questions that you should investigate for any beauty training program you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Benton AR home, together with the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled 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 college 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 assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 72015 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Benton AR businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great 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 references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Benton AR salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. And finally, contact the Arkansas school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Many beauty 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 instance 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 focuses on your area of interest. If your goal 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 Benton AR, 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 pursuing will not provide the training you require.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering cosmetology skills and techniques involves lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty program furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a beauty program, it’s important that she or he receives assistance in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide aid develope relationships with Benton AR employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Almost all beauty schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students as well. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not drop it as an alternative until you determine what financial assistance may be available.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Benton AR?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Benton AR area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Benton, Arkansas
Benton is a city in and the county seat of Saline County, Arkansas, United States and a suburb of Little Rock. It was established in 1837.[5] As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a population of 30,681. In 2017 the population was estimated at 35,789.[6] It is part of the Little Rock–North Little Rock–Conway Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city of Benton, first settled in 1833 and named after Missouri Senator Thomas Hart Benton, was formally chartered in 1836 when Arkansas became a state.[7]
As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 21,906 people, 8,713 households, and 6,186 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,221.2 people per square mile (471.5/km²). There were 9,315 housing units at an average density of 519.3 per square mile (200.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 92.81% White, 4.46% Black or African American, 0.39% Native American, 0.56% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.75% from other races, and 1.19% from two or more races. 1.90% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 8,713 households out of which 33.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.9% were married couples living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.0% were non-families. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.95.
Choose the Right Cosmetology Program near Benton AR
Selecting and enrolling in the ideal cosmetology 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 certain about your decision. Make certain to compile all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you select are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are qualified to begin your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Benton AR.
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