Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools Lakeland MI

How to Select a Beauty College near Lakeland Michigan

nail technicians training at Lakeland MI beauty school Now that you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Lakeland MI, the process begins to locate and enroll in the right school. It’s essential that the program you pick not only furnishes the necessary education for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be rather confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a little bit more concerning that in the following segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Lakeland home. Tuition will likewise be an important factor when assessing possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the right option. There are several other considerations that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of programs are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

Lakeland MI makeup ar4tist applying makeup Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more attractive through the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be almost anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you take some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work environments include not only Lakeland MI beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have acquired experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many titles 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 the majority of states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Cosmetology Degrees and Certificates

Lakeland MI hairdresser cutting hair There are primarily two avenues available to get cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually call for 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree ordinarily takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you wish to specialize in 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 Lakeland MI business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you decide on, it’s important to make sure that it’s approved by the Michigan Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you select in the next section.

Online Beauty Classes

student attending cosmetology school online in Lakeland MI Online beauty schools are accommodating for Lakeland MI students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to enroll in a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs available that can be accessed by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are frequently fast paced because many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you’re not devoting many hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it’s imperative that the program you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training needed for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Cosmetology Schools

Questions to ask Lakeland MI beauty schools Following is a list of questions that you need to look into for any beauty training program you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Lakeland MI home, together with the price of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary 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 should ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s important to make certain that the cosmetology training program you choose 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 essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 48143 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Lakeland MI businesses 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? Any cosmetologist institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Check rating services for reviews in addition to the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Lakeland MI salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And finally, consult the Michigan school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Some beauty schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating 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 commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you select 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 aspiration is to open a hair salon in Lakeland MI, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering cosmetology techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty school offers limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. So try to find 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 important that he or she gets aid in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develope relationships with Lakeland MI businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Many beauty schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students also. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you determine what financial help may be offered.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Lakeland MI?

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

Lakeland, Florida

Lakeland is a city in Polk County, Florida, along Interstate 4 east of Tampa. The westernmost city in Polk County, it is part of the Tampa Bay Area. According to the 2013 U.S. Census Bureau estimate, the city had a population of 100,710.[2] Lakeland is a principal city of the Lakeland–Winter Haven Metropolitan Statistical Area (coterminous with Polk County), which had an estimated population of 623,009 in July 2013 based on data from the University of Florida Bureau of Economic and Business Research. It is twinned with Richmond Hill, Ontario; Imabari, Ehime, Japan; Bălți, Moldova; Portmore, Jamaica; and Chongming County, Shanghai, China through the Lakeland chapter of Sister Cities International.

Native Americans began to live in the area 12,000 years ago. European-American settlers arrived in Lakeland from South Carolina in the 1870s. The city expanded in the 1880s with the arrival of rail service, with the first freedmen railway workers settling here in 1883.[6] They and European immigrants also came because of new jobs in the large phosphate industry that developed. Lakeland is home to the 1,267-acre Circle B Bar Reserve.

The first Paleo-Indians reached the central Florida area near the end of the last ice age, as they followed big game south.[23][24] As the ice melted and sea levels rose, these Native Americans ended up staying and thrived on the peninsula for thousands of years. By the time the first Spanish conquistadors arrived, more than 250,000 Native Americans were living on the peninsula.[citation needed] Some of these first early tribes were the Tocobago, Timucua, and Calusa. In 1527, a Spanish map showed a settlement near the Rio de la Paz.[23][24] The arrival of the Spanish turned out to be disastrous to these Native American tribes. Within 150 years, the majority of the pre-Columbian Native American peoples of Florida had been wiped out. Those who had not succumbed to diseases such as smallpox or yellow fever were either killed or enslaved.[23][24][25][26] Little is left of these first Native Americans cultures in Polk County except for scant archaeological records, including a few personal artifacts and shell mounds. Eventually, the remnants of these tribes merged with the Creek Indians who had arrived from the north and became the Seminole Indian tribe.[24][26]

Find the Right Cosmetologist Vocational School near Lakeland MI

Lakeland MI barber blow drying client's hair Selecting and enrolling in the ideal cosmetologist program is imperative to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to collect all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the institution and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are ready to launch your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Lakeland MI.