Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools Needham MA

How to Choose a Cosmetologist College near Needham Massachusetts

nail technicians training at Needham MA beauty school Once you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Needham MA, the process begins to search for and enroll in the best school. It’s imperative that the program you pick not only provides the proper education for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you may be a little bit puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll speak a bit further about that in the next segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Needham residence. Tuition will also be an important factor when assessing possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the ideal choice. There are various other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are looking at 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.

Defining Cosmetology

Needham MA makeup ar4tist applying makeup Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be almost anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you go through some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Needham MA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have 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 earlier mentioned, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those conducting 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 get licensed in those states.

Cosmetology Degrees and Certificates

Needham MA hairdresser cutting hair There are basically two avenues available to obtain 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 generally take 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 instructed in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Needham MA business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you opt for, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s approved by the Massachusetts Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the upcoming section.

Online Beauty Training

student attending cosmetology school online in Needham MA Online beauty schools are convenient for Needham MA students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be attended through a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are typically fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you are not spending numerous hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it’s vital that the training program you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Cosmetology Schools

Questions to ask Needham MA beauty schools Following is a list of questions that you will want to look into for any cosmetology training program you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Needham MA home, as well as the cost of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have collected some of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the cosmetology school you enroll in 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 assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 02192 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Needham MA employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every cosmetologist school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Needham MA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. And finally, check with the Massachusetts school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Some beauty 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 example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential 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 well regarded for that program. If your desire is to start a hair salon in Needham MA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Any Live Training Provided? Studying and refining cosmetology skills and techniques involves lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty program provides limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the best option for cultivating your skills. So look for other schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from a cosmetology school, it’s important that he or she gets support in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer help maintain relationships with Needham MA businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? The majority of cosmetology schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Speak with 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 accessible to students too. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not discard it as an alternative until you learn what financial aid may be provided.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Needham MA?

If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Needham MA area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.

Needham, Massachusetts

Needham is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. A suburb of Boston, its population was 28,886 at the 2010 census. It is home to the Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering, an engineering school.

Needham was first settled in 1680 with the purchase of a tract of land measuring 4 miles (6.4 km) by 5 miles (8.0 km) from Chief Nehoiden for the sum of 10 pounds, 40 acres (160,000 m2) of land, and 40 shillings worth of corn. It was officially incorporated in 1711. Originally part of the Dedham Grant, Needham split from Dedham and was named after the town of Needham Market in Suffolk, England. By the 1770s settlers in the western part of the town who had to travel a long distance to the meeting house on what is now Central Avenue sought to form a second parish in the town. Opposition to this desire created conflict, and in 1774 a mysterious fire destroyed the extant meeting house. Some time afterwards the West Parish was formed.

In 1857 the City of Boston began a project to fill in the Back Bay with landfill by filling the tidewater flats of the Charles River. The fill to reclaim the bay from the water was obtained from Needham, Massachusetts from the area of present-day Route 128. The firm of Goss and Munson, railroad contractors, built 6 miles (9.7 km) of railroad from Needham and their 35-car trains made 16 trips a day to Back Bay.[1] The filling of present-day Back Bay was completed by 1882; filling reached Kenmore Square in 1890, and finished in the Fens in 1900. The project was the largest of a number of land reclamation projects, beginning in 1820, which, over the course of time, more than doubled the size of the original Boston peninsula.

Find the Right Cosmetologist College near Needham MA

Needham MA barber blow drying client's hair Selecting and enrolling in the ideal beauty college is important to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to collect all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the school and program you pick are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to begin your career as a professional cosmetologist in Needham MA.