How to Select a Cosmetology School near Painesdale Michigan
Since you have decided to become a cosmetologist and enroll in a beauty school near Painesdale MI, the process begins to locate and enroll in the ideal school. It’s essential that the program you choose not only furnishes the necessary training for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you might be rather puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a bit further regarding that in the upcoming section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Painesdale home. Tuition will additionally be a critical aspect when evaluating possible schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the best option. There are a number of other factors that you should weigh when comparing 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 talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are available.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but really 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, the majority of states mandate that you take some type of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Painesdale MI beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues 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 house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional names and work in a wide variety of specialties including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As formerly mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, for instance 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 Certificates and Degrees
There are basically two avenues offered to get 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 typically require 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 instructed in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Painesdale MI business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you opt for, it’s important to make certain that it’s certified by the Michigan Board of Cosmetology. Many 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 advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next section.
Online Cosmetologist Programs
Online beauty schools are convenient for Painesdale MI students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it difficult to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs available that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are often fast paced given that many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online 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. On the other hand, it’s vital that the program you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Cosmetology Degree Programs
Following is a series of questions that you need to research for any cosmetology training program you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Painesdale MI home, as well as the cost of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have compiled some of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the cosmetology training program you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in 49955 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 Painesdale MI businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Every cosmetology college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Painesdale MI salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And finally, contact the Michigan school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential 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 desire is to launch a hair salon in Painesdale MI, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and perfecting cosmetology techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty school provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best option for developing your skills. So search for alternate schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a cosmetology program, it’s essential that she or he gets support in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develope relationships with Painesdale MI businesses that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Almost all beauty schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students too. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an option before you find out what financial assistance may be provided.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Painesdale MI?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Painesdale MI area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Jeffers High School
Before 1949, Jeffers was called Painesdale High School. It was built in 1909, replacing the original Adams Township School in Atlantic Mine. Painesdale High was renamed to honor Fred and Cora Jeffers, the district's first superintendent and principal respectively. Mr. Jeffers served the Adams Township School District from 1894 to 1950. At the height of the copper boom, the school served students from Adams, Stanton and Elm River townships in Houghton County, along with Bohemia Township in Ontonagon County. The original building is still in use, though a major addition was built in 1934. From 1909 to 1945, some students were transported to and from school via a special school train on the Copper Range Railroad.[2]
In 2014–15, 54.3% of the 210 students were male and 45.7% female. 0.4% of the enrollment were Native American or Alaskan, 0.4% were Hispanic, 1.0% were Black, 1.0% were Multiracial and 97.2% were White. There were no Asian or Pacific islanders enrolled. 60% of the students were eligible for free or reduced lunch.[1]
Pick the Right Beauty Training Program near Painesdale MI
Selecting and enrolling in the ideal cosmetologist college is essential to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Don’t forget to compile all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you pick are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are ready to launch your career as a professional cosmetologist in Painesdale MI.
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