How to Pick a Cosmetologist School near Urbandale Iowa
Once you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Urbandale IA, the task begins to locate and enroll in the best school. It’s imperative that the school you pick not only furnishes the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. 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 pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a bit further concerning that in the upcoming section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Urbandale home. Tuition will also be an important aspect when assessing possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the best choice. There are a number of other qualifications that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning 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.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more attractive with 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 basically a cosmetic can be anything that improves the look 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 type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Urbandale IA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a client base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many titles 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 must be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those conducting 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 be licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Certificates and Degrees
There are primarily two pathways offered 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 complete, while an Associate’s degree usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you prefer to specialize in just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also probably incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Urbandale IA business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you opt for, it’s essential to make sure that it’s approved by the Iowa Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the following segment.
Online Beauty Schools
Online beauty programs are accommodating for Urbandale IA students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be attended by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are typically fast paced due to the fact that many programs 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 away from your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the training program you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult 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 program to verify that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Beauty Training Programs
Below is a list of questions that you need to investigate for any beauty training program you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Urbandale IA home, together with the expense of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you should 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 determination.
Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the cosmetology training program you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 50322 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Urbandale IA businesses 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? Every cosmetologist college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. 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, showing that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Urbandale IA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And last, contact the Iowa school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted 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 facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden 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 goal 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 dream is to launch a hair salon in Urbandale IA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and refining cosmetology skills and techniques demands lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. So search for alternate schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from a beauty school, it’s important that she or he gets support in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer assistance maintain relationships with Urbandale IA businesses that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Almost all cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students also. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not discard it as an option before you find out what financial aid may be offered.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Urbandale IA?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Urbandale IA area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Urbandale, Iowa
Urbandale is a city in Polk County and Dallas County, Iowa, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 39,463. It is part of the Des Moines–West Des Moines Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Urbandale was incorporated as a city on April 16, 1917. In its early days, Urbandale served as a streetcar suburb of Des Moines with four coal mines. Urbandale served as the end of the "Urbandale Line" after plans to build a railroad from Des Moines to Woodward were abandoned because of right-of-way issues. The coal mines had closed by the end of the 1940s while streetcar service ended in 1951.
In 1920, shortly after the city incorporated, Urbandale had 298 people. Its population in 1950 was 1,777, but the city grew rapidly after that along with the rest of Des Moines' suburbs. By 1970 Urbandale had 14,434 people, and in 2000 it had 29,072.[4] Although most of the city's developed area is in Polk County, Urbandale has expanded westward into Dallas County in recent years.
Enroll in the Right Cosmetology Program near Urbandale IA
Finding and enrolling in the right cosmetology college is essential to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to collect all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the academy and program you choose are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are prepared to begin your career as a professional cosmetologist in Urbandale IA.
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