How to Pick a Beauty College near Arkansas City Kansas
Now that you have decided to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Arkansas City KS, the process starts to find and enroll in the right school. It’s important that the program you select not only provides the necessary training for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be rather confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a little bit further about that in the next section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Arkansas City residence. Tuition will additionally be an important factor when evaluating potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the ideal option. There are a number of other qualifications that you should weigh when comparing 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 programs are offered.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more attractive with the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be almost anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all 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 Arkansas City KS beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a client base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many professional names and are employed in a wide variety of specialties including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As previously stated, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Degrees
There are primarily two avenues available to receive cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally require 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree commonly 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 offered if you want to focus on just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a parlor or other Arkansas City KS business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of program you go with, it’s essential to make certain that it’s approved by the Kansas Board of Cosmetology. Many states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the following section.
Online Beauty Classes
Online cosmetology programs are convenient for Arkansas City KS students who are working full time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs offered that can be attended through a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty schools are frequently fast paced because many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you’re not spending many hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. However, it’s vital that the program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Cosmetologist Programs
Below is a list of questions that you should research for any cosmetologist training program you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Arkansas City KS home, in addition to the expense of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have compiled some of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the School Accredited? It’s essential 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 67005 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Arkansas City KS businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every cosmetology school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Arkansas City KS salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. And finally, consult the Kansas school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Many 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, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly 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 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 aspiration is to start a hair salon in Arkansas City KS, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and perfecting cosmetology skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty program provides little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for developing your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a cosmetology school, it’s important that she or he receives help in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance maintain relationships with Arkansas City KS employers that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools 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. High rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Almost all cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students too. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not drop it as an option until you find out what financial assistance may be provided.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Arkansas City KS?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Arkansas City KS area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Arkansas City, Kansas
Arkansas City (/ɑːrˈkænzəs/)[6] is a city in Cowley County, Kansas, United States, situated at the confluence of the Arkansas and Walnut rivers in the southwestern part of the county. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 12,415.[7]
The name of this city is not pronounced like the nearby state of Arkansas, but rather as /ɑːrˈkænzəs/ (the final "s" is pronounced). Over the years there has been much confusion about the regional pronunciation of "Arkansas", which locals render as /ɑːrˈkænzəs/ rather than /ˈɑːrkənsɔː/.[8] Throughout much of Kansas, residents use this alternative pronunciation when referring to the Arkansas River, as well as Arkansas Street in the city of Wichita. Because of this, and for the sake of brevity, Arkansas City is most often referred to as simply Ark City.[citation needed]
In 1601, New Mexico Governor Juan de Oñate led an expedition across the Great Plains and found a large settlement of Indians he called Rayados. The most likely location for the Rayado settlement was along the Walnut River in the eastern part of Arkansas City. Extensive remains of Indian settlements have been found along six miles (9.7 km) of the Walnut River. The Rayados were the ancestors of the Indians later called Wichita. Wichita settlements from the 18th century are also found a few miles south of Arkansas City on the west bank of the Arkansas River.[9] (See Deer Creek/Bryson Paddock Sites) Recent archaeological digs conducted by Wichita State University suggest that Arkansas City may be near or on the location of the "lost city" of Etzanoa, occupied by the Rayado Indians in the early 17th century.[10]
Pick the Right Beauty College near Arkansas City KS
Finding and enrolling in the ideal cosmetologist program is important to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to compile all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you select are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are ready to launch your career as a professional cosmetologist in Arkansas City KS.
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