Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools Naples FL

How to Choose a Cosmetology School near Naples Florida

nail technicians training at Naples FL beauty school Now that you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Naples FL, the task starts to search for and enroll in the ideal school. It’s imperative that the school you choose not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you might be rather puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a 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 Naples residence. Tuition will additionally be a critical consideration when evaluating prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the best choice. There are many other factors that you should evaluate when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review 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 kinds of programs are offered.

What is Cosmetology

Naples FL makeup ar4tist applying makeup Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually 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 go through some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Naples FL 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, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own residences or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many titles and are employed in a wide variety of specializations including:

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

As already stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Cosmetologist Certificates and Degrees

Naples FL hairdresser cutting hair There are essentially two pathways offered to obtain 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 instructed in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you wish to focus on just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Naples FL business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you go with, it’s essential to make certain that it’s recognized by the Florida Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the following section.

Online Beauty Classes

student attending cosmetology school online in Naples FL Online cosmetology classes are accommodating for Naples FL students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools are typically fast paced given that many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the school you select can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Beauty Degree Programs

Questions to ask Naples FL beauty schools Below is a series of questions that you should investigate for any beauty training program you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Naples FL residence, as well as the expense of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have collected some of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the cosmetology school 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 guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in 34101 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Naples FL businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every cosmetology institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Naples FL salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. And last, check with the Florida school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of beauty 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 typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you pick a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your dream is to launch a hair salon in Naples FL, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and refining cosmetology techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty program offers limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a cosmetology school, it’s essential that she or he receives support in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with Naples FL businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Many beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students as well. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not discard it as an alternative until you find out what financial aid may be provided.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Naples FL?

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

Naples, Florida

Naples is a city in Collier County, Florida, United States. As of 2015, the city's population was about 20,600. Naples is a principal city of the Naples-Marco Island, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had a population of about 322,000 as of 2015. Naples is one of the wealthiest cities in the United States, with the sixth-highest per capita income in the country in 2012,[6] and the second-highest proportion of millionaires per capita in the US.[7]

Before European settlement, the Calusa Indians had dwelt in the region for thousands of years, from Charlotte Harbor to Cape Sable. In 1513, Juan Ponce de León landed in the region and found resistance from the Calusa, which was then followed by nearly 200 years of strife between the Spanish and the Calusa. In the early 1700s, following slaving raids by Uchise Creek and Yamasee Indians allied with the English Province of Carolina, most of the Calusa retreated south and east.[8]

The city of Naples was founded during the late 1880s by former Confederate general and Kentucky U.S. Senator John Stuart Williams and his partner, Louisville businessman Walter N. Haldeman, the publisher of the Louisville Courier-Journal. Throughout the 1870s and '80s, magazine and newspaper stories telling of the area's mild climate and abundant fish and game likened it to the sunny Italian peninsula. The name Naples caught on when promoters described the bay as "surpassing the bay in Naples, Italy". Major development was anticipated after the railroad reaching Naples on January 7, 1927, and the Tamiami Trail linking Naples to Miami was completed in 1928, but did not begin until after the Great Depression and World War II. During the war the U.S. Army Air Forces built a small airfield and used it for training purposes; it is now the Naples Municipal Airport.

Select the Right Cosmetologist Training Program near Naples FL

Naples FL barber blow drying client's hair Selecting and enrolling in the right cosmetology school is imperative to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to organize all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you select are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Naples FL.