How to Select a Beauty College near Glen Arbor Michigan
Since you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Glen Arbor MI, the task starts to locate and enroll in the ideal school. It’s essential that the program you pick not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you may be somewhat unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a little bit more about that in the upcoming segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Glen Arbor home. Tuition will also be a critical factor when reviewing potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not always the right option. There are many other qualifications that you should weigh when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding 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 courses are offered.
Defining Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically 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, most states require that you take some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Glen Arbor MI beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many names and work in a wide variety of specializations including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As already mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates
There are basically two avenues offered to receive cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, 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 commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you wish to concentrate on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Glen Arbor MI business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of program you go with, it’s essential to make sure that it’s recognized by the Michigan Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the following section.
Online Beauty Courses
Online cosmetology schools are accommodating for Glen Arbor MI students who are employed full-time and have family commitments 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 accessed by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are often fast paced because many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you’re not devoting many hours outside of your home or commuting to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the training program you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Beauty Programs
Below is a series of questions that you should look into for any cosmetologist training program you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Glen Arbor MI home, together with the price of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish 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 initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the cosmetology college you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 49636 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Glen Arbor MI employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any cosmetology institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Glen Arbor MI salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. And finally, contact the Michigan school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you enroll in a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your objective 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 aspiration is to launch a hair salon in Glen Arbor MI, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and refining cosmetology techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty academy provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on using mannequins, it may not be the best option for developing your skills. So look for alternate schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a beauty school, it’s crucial that she or he receives support in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develope relationships with Glen Arbor MI 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 businesses they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Almost all 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. Consult with a counselor and identify 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 offered to students too. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an option before you learn what financial help may be offered.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Glen Arbor MI?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Glen Arbor MI area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Glen Arbor Township, Michigan
Glen Arbor Township is a civil township of Leelanau County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 859 at the 2010 census. However, the population of the town expands rapidly during the summer months as a result of it being a summer colony.
John LaRue moved from South Manitou Island to the area of the Sleeping Bear Bay that would eventually become the town in 1848. After establishing a trading post, subsequent settlers began to move to the area with one, Mrs. John E. Fisher, giving the town the name "Glen Arbor" in 1854. Other prominent settlers were John Dorsey, who set up a cooper shop, and C.C. McCarty, who built the Sleeping Bear Inn, originally as a residence for lumbermen. Additionally, George Ray built a dock in 1856 and became the settlement’s first postmaster and W. D. Burdick established a sawmill and grist mill nearby in 1864. In 1878, D. H. Day, a land developer and agent for the Northern Transportation Company, took interest in Glen Arbor. Day serves as the namesake for the historic barn that sits opposite of the Sleeping Bear Dunes.
The town's economy was largely based around the lumber industry in the mid 19th century. Wood became the first commodity of Leelanau County as it was used for constructing houses and for fueling the steamers that traversed the Great Lakes. The increase of maritime traffic and the constant threat of shipwrecks along the Manitou Strait led the U.S. Life-Saving Service to establish a small boat station at Sleeping Bear Point in 1901. In 1931, the U.S. Coast Guard moved the facility eastward to its present location near Glen Haven, then closed it in 1944. The station is now a maritime museum that is run by the National Park Service.[4]
Find the Right Cosmetology Vocational School near Glen Arbor MI
Picking and enrolling in the ideal cosmetologist college is important to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to collect all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the school and program you select are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to launch your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Glen Arbor MI.
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