How to Pick a Cosmetologist College near Houghton Michigan
Once you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Houghton MI, the process starts to locate and enroll in the ideal school. It’s important that the school you select not only furnishes the necessary instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you might be rather confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a little bit further about that in the following section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Houghton home. Tuition will additionally be a critical factor when evaluating potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the ideal option. There are various other factors that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are available.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the use 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 really a cosmetic may be almost anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you take some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Houghton MI beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a client base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many professional names 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 earlier stated, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, for example 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.
Cosmetology Certificates and Degrees
There are basically two avenues available to get 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 normally require 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. Shorter programs are available if you prefer to specialize in just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely incorporate management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Houghton MI business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you choose, it’s essential to make certain that it’s recognized by the Michigan Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming section.
Online Cosmetology Schools
Online cosmetology programs are convenient for Houghton MI students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are typically fast paced since many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it’s important that the program you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Cosmetology Trade Schools
Below is a series of questions that you will want to research for any beauty training program you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Houghton MI home, together with the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn 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 additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the cosmetology training program 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 assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in 49931 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Houghton MI employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every beauty college that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Check rating services for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Houghton MI salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. Finally, consult the Michigan 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? Some beauty schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you choose a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your goal 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 desire is to open a hair salon in Houghton MI, 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 provide the training you need.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and mastering cosmetology skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for developing your skills. Therefore look for other schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from a cosmetology academy, it’s essential that he or she receives support in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid maintain relationships with Houghton MI employers that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Almost all cosmetology schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students too. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not omit it as an alternative before you learn what financial aid may be available.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Houghton MI?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Houghton MI area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Houghton, Michigan
Houghton (/ˈhoʊtən/) is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan's Upper Peninsula and largest city in the Copper Country on the Keweenaw Peninsula. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 7,708. It is the county seat of Houghton County.[8] It has been listed as one of the "100 Best Small Towns in America."[9]
Houghton is sometimes confused with, or thought to be close to, Houghton Lake; the latter is actually located in the state's Lower Peninsula. Due to its location in the northwestern portion of the Upper Peninsula,[10] Houghton is isolated from the state's most populous areas. It is farther to drive from Houghton to Detroit than it is from Detroit to Washington, D.C. It takes fewer hours to travel to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Minneapolis, Minnesota, or Chicago, Illinois from Houghton than it does to travel to Detroit.
Native Americans mined copper[12] in and around what would later be Houghton[13] thousands of years before European settlement. "French explorers had noted... [its] existence [in the area] as early as the seventeenth century, [and in] 1772 Alexander Henry had prospected for copper on the Ontonagon River near Victoria."[12] When Horace Greeley said, "Go West, young man" he was referring to the copper rush in "Michigan's western Upper Peninsula."[14]
Choose the Right Cosmetologist Vocational School near Houghton MI
Selecting and enrolling in the right cosmetologist school is imperative to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Don’t forget to organize all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this post, 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 test, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Houghton MI.
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