Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools Santa Ana CA

How to Find the Right Beauty School near Santa Ana California

nail technicians training at Santa Ana CA beauty schoolOnce you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Santa Ana CA, the task begins to locate and enroll in the best school. It’s essential that the program you select not only furnishes the necessary education for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be somewhat confused about the contrast 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 more concerning that in the following segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Santa Ana residence. Tuition will also be an important aspect when assessing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the ideal choice. There are many other considerations that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are offered.

What is Cosmetology

Santa Ana CA makeup ar4tist applying makeupCosmetology 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 a number of cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically 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 go through some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Santa Ana CA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a clientele, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many titles 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 previously mentioned, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Cosmetology Degrees

Santa Ana CA hairdresser cutting hairThere are basically two options available to obtain 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 generally call for 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree usually 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 offered if you wish to concentrate on just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Santa Ana CA business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you opt for, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s approved by the California Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next section.

Online Beauty Classes

student attending cosmetology school online in Santa Ana CAOnline cosmetology schools are convenient for Santa Ana CA students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed through a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are typically fast paced since many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you’re not spending many hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the training program you choose can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Beauty Degree Programs

Questions to ask Santa Ana CA beauty schoolsBelow is a list of questions that you will want to investigate for any beauty training program you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Santa Ana CA residence, as well as the price of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt 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 must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the cosmetology school you select 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 meet their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in 92701 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Santa Ana CA employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation?  Each cosmetology institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Santa Ana CA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And last, contact the California school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus?  Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you select a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your objective is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your dream is to start a hair salon in Santa Ana CA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided?  Studying and mastering cosmetology techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a beauty school provides limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on using mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for developing 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 essential that she or he gets support in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide assistance maintain relationships with Santa Ana CA businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, 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 Available?  Most cosmetology schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and identify 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 satisfies all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not discard it as an alternative before you determine what financial aid may be offered.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Santa Ana CA?

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

Santa Ana, California

Santa Ana /ˌsæntə ˈænə/ (Spanish for "Saint Anne") is the county seat and second most populous city in Orange County, California in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The United States Census Bureau estimated its 2011 population at 329,427, making Santa Ana the 57th most-populous city in the United States.

Santa Ana is located in Southern California, adjacent to the Santa Ana River, about 10 miles (16 km) away from the California coast. Founded in 1869, the city is part of the Greater Los Angeles Area, the second largest metropolitan area in the United States, with almost 18 million residents in 2010. Santa Ana is a very densely populated city, ranking fourth nationally in that regard among cities of over 300,000 residents (trailing only New York City, San Francisco, and Boston). In 2011, Forbes ranked Santa Ana the fourth-safest city of over 250,000 residents in the United States.[9]

Santa Ana lends its name to the Santa Ana Freeway (I-5), which runs through the city. It also shares its name with the nearby Santa Ana Mountains, and the Santa Ana winds, which have historically fueled seasonal wildfires throughout Southern California.[10] The current Office of Management and Budget (OMB) metropolitan designation for the Orange County Area is Santa Ana–Anaheim–Irvine, California.

Enroll in the Right Cosmetologist Vocational School near Santa Ana CA

Santa Ana CA barber blow drying client's hairFinding and enrolling in the ideal beauty program is imperative to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Make certain to organize all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the institution and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to begin your career as a professional cosmetologist in Santa Ana CA.

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