How to Find the Right Cosmetologist College near Bossier City Louisiana
Now that you have decided to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Bossier City LA, the process begins to locate and enroll in the right school. It’s important that the school you choose not only provides the necessary instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you might be a little bit unclear 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 type of school. We’ll discuss a bit further about that in the following section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Bossier City home. Tuition will likewise be a critical aspect when reviewing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not automatically the ideal option. There are many other qualifications that you should weigh when comparing schools, for example 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 little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are available.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more attractive with the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you take some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Bossier City LA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a client base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many titles 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 already stated, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.
Cosmetology Degrees and Certificates
There are basically two options available to get 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 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 instructed in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Bossier City LA business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you go with, it’s important to make sure that it’s certified by the Louisiana Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming section.
Online Beauty Programs
Online cosmetology classes are accommodating for Bossier City LA students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online beauty school programs available that can be accessed via a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are often fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are covering the same volume 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 important that the training program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So don’t forget if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Beauty Training Programs
Below is a list of questions that you will want to research for any cosmetologist training program you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Bossier City LA home, in addition to the cost of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the cosmetology training program you enroll in 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in 71111 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Bossier City LA employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any cosmetology institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Bossier City LA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And finally, check with the Louisiana 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? Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you decide on a school that focuses on 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 respected for that program. If your desire is to launch a hair salon in Bossier City LA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and perfecting cosmetology skills and techniques demands lots of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school offers little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best option for acquiring your skills. So try to find alternate schools that furnish this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a cosmetology program, it’s essential that she or he gets support in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide aid maintain relationships with Bossier City LA businesses that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, 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 Available? Most cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Talk to 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 offered to students also. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an option until you learn what financial aid may be provided.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Bossier City LA?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Bossier City LA area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Bossier City, Louisiana
As of the 2010 census, Bossier City had a population of 61,315.[2] The 2017 estimate was 68,554.[5] Bossier City is located on the eastern bank of the Red River and is closely tied economically and socially to its larger sister city Shreveport on the opposite bank. The Shreveport–Bossier City metropolitan area is the center of the region known as the Ark-La-Tex.
On April 20, 2017, in their joint "State of Bossier" address, hosted by the Bossier Chamber of Commerce, Mayor Lo Walker and Bossier Parish Police Jury President Bob Brotherton described the growth of the city and parish as "outstanding." With a population of 69,000 in a 2015 study by Louisiana State University, Bossier City has become the sixth-largest city in the state and the fastest-growing one. Walker said that the city and the parish "work extremely close together, and our business and civic leaders and military make us an outstanding parish.” The parish grew at 19 percent; the city grew at 10 percent. According to the Bossier Economic Development Foundation, the city could potentially reach 80,000 by 2019. Ongoing projects contributing to growth include the Walter O. Bigby Carriageway (the north parkway extension named for former state representative and judge Walter O. Bigby), Shed Road construction, and the South Bossier redevelopment districts.[6]
In the 1830s, the area of Bossier City was the plantation Elysian Grove, which was purchased by James Cane and his second wife Mary D. C. Cane. James had come to the area with his first wife Rebecca Bennett, and her brother, William Bennett, and his wife Mary Doal (Cilley) Bennett. They ran a trading post across the river on what was then Caddo Indian Land, a portion called "Bennett's Bluff". The trading post partners and William's father Samuel Bennett became a 1/7 partner in the new Shreve Town, which eventually developed as Shreveport.
Find the Right Cosmetologist College near Bossier City LA
Selecting and enrolling in the right cosmetology college is imperative to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to organize all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence process 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 address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to begin your career as a professional cosmetologist in Bossier City LA.
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