How to Pick a Cosmetology College near Alexandria Indiana
Once you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Alexandria IN, the task begins to locate and enroll in the ideal school. It’s important that the school you pick not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you may 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 type of school. We’ll discuss a little bit further regarding that in the next section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Alexandria home. Tuition will additionally be an important consideration when reviewing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not always the ideal choice. There are various other factors that you should weigh when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are available.
Definition of 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 a number of cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be almost anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you take some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Alexandria IN beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a customer base, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own residences or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many names and work in a wide variety of specializations including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As previously mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates
There are basically two avenues offered to get 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 usually require 12 to 18 months to finish, 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 available if you want to specialize in just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Alexandria IN business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you go with, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s approved by the Indiana 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 discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the following segment.
Online Beauty Classes
Online cosmetology schools are convenient for Alexandria IN students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of online beauty school programs available that can be attended through a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are frequently fast paced because many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the program you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. 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 Cosmetologist Trade Schools
Following is a series of questions that you need to investigate for any cosmetology training program you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Alexandria IN home, together with the cost of tuition, will most likely 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 should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have collected some of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the cosmetology college you select 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 comply with their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 46001 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Alexandria IN employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each cosmetologist school that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Alexandria IN salon owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And last, check with the Indiana 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? Some 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 instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you decide on 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 desire is to open a hair salon in Alexandria IN, then you want 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 deliver the training you need.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Practicing and mastering cosmetology skills and techniques requires lots of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty program offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from a cosmetology program, it’s essential that she or he receives aid in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with Alexandria IN businesses that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Most cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and find out 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 offered to students too. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an alternative until you determine what financial assistance may be available.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Alexandria IN?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Alexandria IN area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Alexandria
Alexandria (/ˌælɪɡˈzændriə/ or /-ˈzɑːnd-/;[3]Egyptian Arabic: إسكندريه Eskendereyya; Arabic: الإسكندرية al-ʾIskandariyya; Coptic: ⲁⲗⲉⲝⲁⲛⲇⲣⲓⲁ Alexandria or ⲣⲁⲕⲟϯ Rakote) is the second-largest city in Egypt and a major economic centre, extending about 32 km (20 mi) along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country. Its low elevation on the Nile delta makes it highly vulnerable to rising sea levels. Alexandria is an important industrial center because of its natural gas and oil pipelines from Suez. Alexandria is also a popular tourist destination.
Alexandria was founded around a small, ancient Egyptian town c. 332 BC by Alexander the Great. It became an important center of Hellenistic civilization and remained the capital of Ptolemaic Egypt and Roman and Byzantine Egypt for almost 1,000 years, until the Muslim conquest of Egypt in AD 641, when a new capital was founded at Fustat (later absorbed into Cairo). Hellenistic Alexandria was best known for the Lighthouse of Alexandria (Pharos), one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World; its Great Library (the largest in the ancient world; now replaced by a modern one); and the Necropolis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Middle Ages. Alexandria was at one time the second most powerful city of the ancient Mediterranean region, after Rome. Ongoing maritime archaeology in the harbor of Alexandria, which began in 1994, is revealing details of Alexandria both before the arrival of Alexander, when a city named Rhacotis existed there, and during the Ptolemaic dynasty.
From the late 18th century, Alexandria became a major center of the international shipping industry and one of the most important trading centers in the world, both because it profited from the easy overland connection between the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea, and the lucrative trade in Egyptian cotton.
Enroll in the Right Cosmetology Program near Alexandria IN
Choosing and enrolling in the ideal cosmetology program is important to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to compile all of the information you get from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you pick are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this post, 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 examination, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to start your career as a professional cosmetologist in Alexandria IN.
Other Beautiful Locations in Indiana
Business Results 1 - 10 of 0
