How to Choose a Cosmetologist School near Hillsboro Iowa
Once you have decided to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Hillsboro IA, the process starts to search for and enroll in the ideal school. It’s important that the school you choose not only provides the appropriate training for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be a little bit puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a little bit further concerning that in the next section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Hillsboro home. Tuition will also be an important aspect when evaluating prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not always the ideal option. There are many other considerations that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are available.
What is Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more attractive with the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you go through some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Hillsboro IA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many titles and are employed in a wide range of specialties including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As previously mentioned, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, for example 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 primarily two avenues available to get 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 usually take 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. Shorter programs are available if you prefer to focus on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Hillsboro IA business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you opt for, it’s important to make certain that it’s approved by the Iowa Board of Cosmetology. Many states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the following section.
Online Cosmetologist Training
Online cosmetology classes are accommodating for Hillsboro IA students who are employed full time and have family commitments that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are many web-based beauty school programs available that can be attended via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are often fast paced since many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours away from your home or travelling to and from classes. However, it’s important that the program you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to acquire the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Beauty Trade Schools
Below is a list of questions that you will want to research for any cosmetologist training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Hillsboro IA home, in addition to the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn 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 need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the cosmetology college you select 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 meet their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 52630 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Hillsboro IA businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any cosmetologist college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Hillsboro IA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. Finally, contact the Iowa school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden 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 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 start a hair salon in Hillsboro IA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and refining cosmetology skills and techniques demands lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty program provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that furnish this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from a beauty school, it’s essential that he or she gets assistance in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide aid maintain relationships with Hillsboro IA businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, 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 respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and learn 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 available to students too. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an option until you find out what financial help may be offered.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Hillsboro IA?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Hillsboro IA area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Hillsboro, Iowa
As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 180 people, 80 households, and 50 families residing in the city. The population density was 352.9 inhabitants per square mile (136.3/km2). There were 90 housing units at an average density of 176.5 per square mile (68.1/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 98.9% White, 0.6% African American, and 0.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.3% of the population.
There were 80 households of which 27.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.0% were married couples living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 8.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 37.5% were non-families. 33.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.80.
The median age in the city was 46.5 years. 23.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 16.7% were from 25 to 44; 31% were from 45 to 64; and 21.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 51.7% male and 48.3% female.
Find the Right Cosmetology College near Hillsboro IA
Picking and enrolling in the right cosmetologist program is important to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to consolidate all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A good 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 profession. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are ready to start your career as a professional cosmetologist in Hillsboro IA.
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