How to Select a Beauty College near Lewiston Idaho
Now that you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Lewiston ID, the task starts to locate and enroll in the best school. It’s imperative that the school you pick not only provides the proper training for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be a little bit confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll talk a bit more concerning that in the upcoming section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Lewiston home. Tuition will likewise be an important consideration when evaluating prospective schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the right option. There are several other factors that you should evaluate when reviewing 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 within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are offered.
What is Cosmetology
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 many cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states mandate that you go through some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Lewiston ID beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional names and work in a wide range of specialties including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As already stated, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Degrees
There are essentially two pathways offered to obtain cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally require 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you want to focus on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Lewiston ID business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you decide on, it’s important to make sure that it’s approved by the Idaho Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the next section.
Online Cosmetology Training
Online beauty classes are convenient for Lewiston ID students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of online cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced since many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting numerous hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the training program you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Beauty Schools
Below is a list of questions that you will want to research for any cosmetologist training school you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Lewiston ID residence, together with the price of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have put together several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the cosmetology training program you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified 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 ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 83501 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Lewiston ID employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every beauty college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Lewiston ID salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. And last, contact the Idaho 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 Focus? Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you choose a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your ambition 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 start a hair salon in Lewiston ID, 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 poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and perfecting cosmetology skills and techniques involves lots of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty 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 school provides minimal 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 search for alternate schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a cosmetology academy, it’s important that she or he receives support in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance maintain relationships with Lewiston ID businesses that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Almost all beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. 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 offered to students as well. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an alternative until you learn what financial aid may be provided.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Lewiston ID?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Lewiston ID area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Lewiston, Idaho
Lewiston is a city in and the county seat of Nez Perce County, Idaho, United States, in the state's north central region.[4] It is the second-largest city in the northern Idaho region, behind Coeur d'Alene, and ninth-largest in the state. Lewiston is the principal city of the Lewiston, ID-WA Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Nez Perce County and Asotin County, Washington. As of the 2010 census, the population of Lewiston was 31,894, up from 30,904 in 2000.
Lewiston is located at the confluence of the Snake River and Clearwater River, thirty miles (48 km) southeast of the Lower Granite Dam. Because of dams (and their locks) on the Snake and Columbia River, Lewiston is reachable by some ocean-going vessels. The Port of Lewiston (Idaho's only seaport) has the distinction of being the farthest inland port east of the West Coast of the United States. The Lewiston-Nez Perce County Airport serves the city by air.
Lewiston was founded 157 years ago in 1861 in the wake of a gold rush which began the previous year near Pierce, northeast of Lewiston. In 1863, Lewiston became the first capital of the newly created Idaho Territory. Its stint as seat of the new territory's government was short-lived, as a resolution to have the capital moved south to Boise was passed by the Idaho Territorial Legislature on December 7, 1864.
Find the Right Beauty School near Lewiston ID
Finding and enrolling in the ideal cosmetologist college is important to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to collect all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the academy and program you decide on are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are ready to start your career as a professional cosmetologist in Lewiston ID.
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