Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools Oak Park MI

How to Select a Beauty College near Oak Park Michigan

nail technicians training at Oak Park MI beauty school Now that you have made a decision to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Oak Park MI, the task begins to find and enroll in the right school. It’s essential that the school you choose not only provides the proper instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you might be rather puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll speak a bit more concerning that in the following segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Oak Park home. Tuition will likewise be an important consideration when assessing possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the ideal choice. There are various other considerations that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are offered.

Definition of Cosmetology

Oak Park MI makeup ar4tist applying makeup Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually 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, the majority of states require that you undergo some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Oak Park MI beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a customer base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own homes or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many names 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 previously mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Cosmetologist Certificates and Degrees

Oak Park MI hairdresser cutting hair There are essentially two options offered to get cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically call for 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 all of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you prefer to specialize in just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Oak Park MI business. More advanced 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 opt for, it’s important to make certain that it’s recognized by the Michigan Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the next section.

Online Cosmetologist Training

student attending cosmetology school online in Oak Park MI Online beauty classes are accommodating for Oak Park MI students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are many online beauty school programs available that can be accessed via a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are often fast paced because 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 courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not spending numerous hours outside of your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the school you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Cosmetologist Degree Programs

Questions to ask Oak Park MI beauty schools Following is a list of questions that you will want to research for any cosmetology training program you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Oak Park MI home, together with the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the cosmetology school you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 48237 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Oak Park MI employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each cosmetologist school that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. 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 sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Oak Park MI salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And last, check with the Michigan school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you select a school that specializes in 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 respected for that program. If your desire is to open a hair salon in Oak Park MI, 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 poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering cosmetology skills and techniques demands lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty school furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. So try to find other schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from a beauty program, it’s essential that she or he receives assistance in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develope relationships with Oak Park MI employers that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? Most cosmetology schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask 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 accessible to students too. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not drop it as an option until you learn what financial aid may be available.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Oak Park MI?

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

Oak Park, Michigan

Oak Park is a city in south Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a northern suburb of the city of Detroit, which is located in neighboring Wayne County, and part of its metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the population of Oak Park is 29,319.

This area was designated as within Royal Oak Township; it was first settled by European Americans in 1840, but remained sparsely populated for many decades following. The first major housing development was constructed in 1914 at the time of World War I, when the township sold land to the Majestic Land Company to be developed as the Oak Park subdivision.[6] The subdivision was incorporated as a village on May 3, 1927. Two petition drives during the Great Depression to dissolve the village government and return it to the township, citing "excessively high cost of village government," failed in 1931 and 1933, respectively.[6] The village incorporated as city on October 29, 1945 following the end of World War II.

Stimulated by the GI Bill which aided veterans in buying new housing, highways to improve commuting, and planned developments in the late 1950s, Oak Park from 1950 to 1960 was named as "America's Fastest Growing City".[7] Its population increased sevenfold, from 5,000 to more than 36,000. Much of its population was second and third-generation children of European immigrants who had settled in Detroit in the early 20th century. These included many Jewish Americans descended from immigrant ancestors from the Russian Empire, including present-day Poland and Ukraine.[citation needed] Major civic improvements in this period included construction of an outdoor swimming pool and an ice rink in Major Park (now known as Shepherd Park, after former mayor David Shepherd, but long known informally as Oak Park Park).

Select the Right Beauty Vocational School near Oak Park MI

Oak Park MI barber blow drying client's hair Choosing and enrolling in the ideal beauty school is imperative to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to collect all of the responses you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you select are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, 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 choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are ready to start your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Oak Park MI.