How to Pick a Beauty College near Steamboat Springs Colorado
Now that you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Steamboat Springs CO, the task begins to find and enroll in the right school. It’s important that the school you choose not only provides the necessary education 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 somewhat unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a little bit more about that in the next section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Steamboat Springs home. Tuition will additionally be an important consideration when assessing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not always the right choice. There are a number of other considerations that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are offered.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic can be almost anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you go through some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Steamboat Springs CO beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many 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 earlier mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, for instance 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
There are essentially two pathways offered to receive cosmetology training and a credential upon 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 each of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you want to specialize in just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Steamboat Springs CO business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you opt for, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s approved by the Colorado Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain respected organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming segment.
Online Cosmetology Schools
Online cosmetology schools are advantageous for Steamboat Springs CO students who are working full-time and have family commitments that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools are often fast paced given that many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not devoting numerous hours away from your home or travelling to and from classes. However, it’s vital that the program you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Cosmetology Degree Programs
Following is a series of questions that you should look into for any cosmetology training program you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Steamboat Springs CO home, as well as the expense of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have compiled several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the cosmetology training program you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 80477 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 Steamboat Springs CO 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? Each cosmetology school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials 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. Visit rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Steamboat Springs CO salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, 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 considered. And finally, check with the Colorado school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of beauty schools offer programs that are comprehensive 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 commonly 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 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 desire is to open a hair salon in Steamboat Springs CO, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and mastering cosmetology skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty academy offers little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the best option for acquiring your skills. Therefore look for other schools that furnish this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from a beauty school, it’s important that he or she receives assistance in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide help develope relationships with Steamboat Springs CO employers that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check 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. High rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Almost all beauty 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 is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students as well. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you learn what financial help may be provided.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Steamboat Springs CO?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Steamboat Springs CO area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Steamboat Springs, Colorado
Steamboat Springs, often shortened to Steamboat, is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Routt County, Colorado, United States.[9] As of the 2010 census, the city population was 12,088.[6]
The city is an internationally known winter ski resort destination. The Steamboat Springs tourism industry is highlighted by Steamboat Ski Resort, which is on Mount Werner in the Park Range just east of the town. It also contains the much smaller Howelsen Hill Ski Area.
The area surrounding Steamboat Springs was originally inhabited by the Yampatika band of the Ute Tribe Utes, who hunted in the valley during the summer. Trappers began to move through the area during the first decades of the 19th century. James Harvey Crawford, the founder of Steamboat Springs, first arrived in the spring of 1874. The Crawford family moved there in 1876, and for the first five years were the sole permanent Anglo-Saxon residents of the town. The native Utes were forcibly removed from the area to a reservation in Utah by the U.S. Army starting in 1879. Milestones in the development of the pioneer town included the first sawmill in 1873, incorporation of the town in 1900, and the arrival of the railroad in 1909. The economy of the region was originally based on ranching and mining, which still have a large presence in the county.[10][11][12]
Enroll in the Right Beauty Vocational School near Steamboat Springs CO
Selecting and enrolling in the right cosmetologist college is important to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to collect all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the institution and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start 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 right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to launch your career as a professional cosmetologist in Steamboat Springs CO.
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