Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools Somersville CT

How to Select a Cosmetologist School near Somersville Connecticut

nail technicians training at Somersville CT beauty school Since you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Somersville CT, the process starts to locate and enroll in the right school. It’s essential that the school you choose not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be somewhat unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a bit further concerning that in the next segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Somersville residence. Tuition will additionally be an important factor when evaluating prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not always the best choice. There are many other factors that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are offered.

What is Cosmetology

Somersville CT makeup ar4tist applying makeup Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more attractive through the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may 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 require that you undergo some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Somersville CT beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a client base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have 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 previously stated, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Cosmetology Degrees

Somersville CT hairdresser cutting hair There are primarily two options available to get cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually call for 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 main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you wish to specialize in just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Somersville CT business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you opt for, it’s important to make certain that it’s approved by the Connecticut Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming section.

Online Cosmetology Training

student attending cosmetology school online in Somersville CT Online beauty schools are accommodating for Somersville CT students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online beauty school programs offered that can be attended via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools are typically fast paced given that many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same volume of material, but you’re not spending numerous hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it’s important that the school you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training required 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 profession. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Beauty Trade Schools

Questions to ask Somersville CT beauty schools Below is a list of questions that you will want to research for any cosmetologist training school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Somersville CT home, in addition to the price of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you want 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 preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the cosmetology school you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national organization, 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 can also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 06072 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of Somersville CT businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any beauty institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Somersville CT salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to propose others that you had not considered. Finally, check with the Connecticut school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Many beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you enroll in a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your objective 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 open a hair salon in Somersville CT, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Studying and refining cosmetology skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. So look for other schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from a beauty program, it’s imperative that she or he gets support in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance maintain relationships with Somersville CT businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are looking at 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 confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Many beauty schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students also. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an option until you determine what financial aid may be offered.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Somersville CT?

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

Somers, Connecticut

Somers /ˈsʌmərz/ is a town in Tolland County, Connecticut. The population was 11,444 at the 2010 census. The town center is listed by the U.S. Census Bureau as a census-designated place (CDP). In 2007, Money Magazine named Somers, Connecticut 53rd on its list of 100 Best Places to Live, based on "economic opportunity, good schools, safe streets, things to do and a real sense of community."

Bordering Massachusetts, Somers is considered part of the City of Springfield, Massachusetts NECTA. Somers is only 9 miles from the City of Springfield, Massachusetts, and considered more oriented toward it than the City of Hartford, Connecticut, which lies 16 miles to the south.

Somers was originally part of the Agawam Plantation in the 17th century. Agawam Plantation became Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1641 and in 1682, the Enfield Parish broke off from the Springfield settlement. In 1689, the first settler, Benjamin Jones, came to Somers in what was then East Enfield about a half mile from the current town center, as it was only a summer house and in the winter, he and his family returned back to Enfield for several years though out of fear of the Native Americans. In 1711, several more families settled the Somers area to help start a village. The families of Kibbe, Pease, Root, and Megregory were the first to settle the area. The Village was given the name Wallop but was changed to East Enfield shortly after. In the year 1734, East Enfield became a town and was renamed Somers, after John Somers, 1st Baron Somers.[1] In the year 1749, Somers joined the Connecticut Colony. The Four Town Fair which is usually held after the third weekend in September is one of the oldest fairs in the Country.

Select the Right Cosmetologist Vocational School near Somersville CT

Somersville CT barber blow drying client's hair Locating and enrolling in the ideal cosmetologist college is essential to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to collect all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the academy and program you pick are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to narrow down 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 qualified to launch your career as a professional cosmetologist in Somersville CT.