How to Choose a Cosmetology School near Edwards Colorado

Now that you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Edwards CO, the process begins to find and enroll in the best school. It’s essential that the program you pick not only furnishes the necessary training for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you might be rather confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a bit more concerning that in the next segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Edwards home. Tuition will also be an important factor when evaluating potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the right option. There are a number of other qualifications that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are available.

Defining 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 many cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic can be anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you undergo some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Edwards CO beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a clientele, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional names and are employed in a wide variety of specialties including:

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

As already mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates

There are essentially two options available to receive cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally take 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 want to concentrate on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also probably include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Edwards CO 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 course you go with, it’s essential to make sure that it’s approved by the Colorado Board of Cosmetology. Many states only approve schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the next section.

Online Cosmetology Classes

Online cosmetology classes are convenient for Edwards CO students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be attended through a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools are often fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not spending many hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it’s important that the training program you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Beauty Programs

Below is a series of questions that you should research for any cosmetology training program you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Edwards CO home, in addition to the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the cosmetology training program you select 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 comply with their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 81632 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Edwards CO businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation?  Any beauty college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Edwards CO salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. And finally, contact the Colorado school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus?  Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you pick a school that specializes in 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 well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to launch a hair salon in Edwards CO, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided?  Practicing and perfecting cosmetology skills and techniques requires lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program provides limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  When a student graduates from a beauty program, it’s essential that he or she gets help in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer help maintain relationships with Edwards CO employers that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have wide 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. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students too. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an option before you find out what financial assistance may be available.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Edwards CO?

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

Choose the Right Beauty School near Edwards CO

Selecting and enrolling in the right cosmetologist program is imperative to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Don’t forget to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the school and program you choose are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to launch your career as a professional cosmetologist in Edwards CO.

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