How to Pick a Cosmetology School near Harrison Arkansas
Since you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Harrison AR, the task starts to find and enroll in the right school. It’s essential that the school you choose not only provides the proper instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be rather puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a little bit more concerning that in the upcoming segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Harrison home. Tuition will additionally be a critical factor when assessing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the ideal option. There are a number of other qualifications that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are offered.
Defining Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the use 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 word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you undergo some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Harrison AR beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a customer base, open 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 professional names and are employed in a wide range of specialties including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As already mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates
There are basically two avenues offered to get 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 typically take 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 instructed in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you prefer to specialize in just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Harrison 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. Whatever type of course you choose, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s recognized by the Arkansas 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 discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming section.
Online Cosmetology Classes
Online cosmetology schools are advantageous for Harrison AR students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs offered that can be accessed via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are typically fast paced because many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the school you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Beauty Schools
Below is a list of questions that you need to research for any beauty training school you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Harrison AR residence, as well as 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 reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have compiled some of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the cosmetology college you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national organization, 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 superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 72601 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Harrison AR businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each cosmetologist college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Harrison AR salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. Finally, check with the Arkansas school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? A number of beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you decide on a school that specializes in 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 respected for that program. If your vision is to launch a hair salon in Harrison AR, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Practicing and mastering cosmetology techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy offers little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. So search for other schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a cosmetology school, it’s essential that she or he gets help in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish aid maintain relationships with Harrison AR businesses that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Almost all beauty schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are considering 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 accessible to students too. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an option until you find out what financial assistance may be available.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Harrison AR?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Harrison AR area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Harrison, Arkansas
Harrison is a city in Boone County, Arkansas, United States. It is the county seat of Boone County. It is named after General Marcus LaRue Harrison, a surveyor that laid out the city along Crooked Creek at Stifler Springs.[4] According to 2012 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city was 13,163,[5] up from 12,943 at the 2010 census.[6] Harrison is the principal city of the Harrison Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Boone and Newton counties.
Race riots by whites in 1905 and 1909 drove away black residents, establishing Harrison as a sundown town.[7] Today it is known as a center of white supremacist activity, including the national headquarters of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan.[8]
Native Americans were the first inhabitants of the area, the first probably being cliff dwellers who lived in caves in the bluffs along the rivers. In later times, the Osage, a branch of the Sioux, was the main tribe in the Ozarks, and one of their larger villages is thought to have been to the east of the present site of Harrison. The Shawnee, Quapaw, and Caddo people were also familiar to the area.
Find the Right Cosmetologist College near Harrison AR
Finding and enrolling in the ideal cosmetologist school is imperative to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Don’t forget to collect all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the school and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to launch your career as a professional cosmetologist in Harrison AR.
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