Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools South Lyon MI

How to Find the Right Cosmetologist School near South Lyon Michigan

nail technicians training at South Lyon MI beauty school Since you have made a decision to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near South Lyon MI, the process starts to find and enroll in the ideal school. It’s important that the program you choose not only furnishes the appropriate training for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be rather puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a little bit more about that in the next segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your South Lyon residence. Tuition will additionally be a critical consideration when assessing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not always the best option. There are several other considerations that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of training programs are available.

Defining Cosmetology

South Lyon MI makeup ar4tist applying makeup Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic may be anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states require that you go through some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only South Lyon MI beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a clientele, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own residences or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many names and are employed in a wide range of specialties including:

Hairdressers
Hairstylists
Beauticians
Barbers
Manicurists
Nail Technicians
Makeup Artists
Hair Coloring Specialists
Estheticians
Electrolysis Technicians

As previously stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Cosmetologist Certificates and Degrees

South Lyon MI hairdresser cutting hair There are basically two pathways offered to receive cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue 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 trained in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you want to focus on just one area, for instance hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other South Lyon 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 program you choose, it’s essential to make sure that it’s certified by the Michigan Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the upcoming section.

Online Cosmetology Courses

student attending cosmetology school online in South Lyon MI Online beauty schools are advantageous for South Lyon MI students who are employed full-time and have family obligations that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are many online cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended by means of a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are often fast paced since many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 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 are not devoting many hours away from your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it’s essential that the training program you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Beauty Training Programs

Questions to ask South Lyon MI beauty schools Following is a series of questions that you should research for any cosmetologist training program you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your South Lyon MI residence, in addition to the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly 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 need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the cosmetology college you pick 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 48178 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many South Lyon 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 a Great Reputation? Each cosmetologist college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with South Lyon MI salon owners or managers, or someone 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 considered. And last, check with the Michigan school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you enroll in a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your intention 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 desire is to launch a hair salon in South Lyon MI, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and mastering cosmetology skills and techniques involves lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a beauty academy, it’s crucial that he or she receives support in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with South Lyon MI employers that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? The majority of beauty schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Speak 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 fulfills each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not omit it as an alternative until you learn what financial aid may be provided.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near South Lyon MI?

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

South Lyon, Michigan

South Lyon is a city in Southwestern Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan, in Metro Detroit. The population was 11,327 at the 2010 census.[6] The city is part of the South Lyon-Howell-Brighton Urban Area, which had a population of 106,139 according to the 2000 census. South Lyon is located in Oakland County's Lyon Township, near the Livingston County and Washtenaw County lines. The city is 19 miles (31 km) north of Ann Arbor, 45 miles (72 km) west of Detroit and 58 miles (93 km) east of Lansing.

South Lyon was founded in 1832 and was called Thompson's Corners. In the same year, the surrounding township was named Lyon for Lucius Lyon, a member of the State Legislature. The village was given a name for its location within the township. South Lyon was incorporated as a village in 1873 and as a city in 1930[7]

Three rail lines once passed through South Lyon. In the summer of 1871, the Detroit, Lansing and Northern was built west from Plymouth on the way to Lansing and Ionia. In 1880, the predessor to the Ann Arbor Railroad built a line into town from Ann Arbor. The goal of this line was to continue on towards Pontiac but that did not occur under the original owners. The line was pulled up around 1890. In 1883 the Grand Trunk built their Jackson Branch from Pontiac to Jackson, which crossed the Pere Marquette at South Lyon. The GTW branch line continued to serve South Lyon until the early 1980s. The branch line is now a paved bicycle trail through town and Reynold Sweet Parkway follows the original route. Today, South Lyon hosts the CSX main line from Detroit to Grand Rapids, and a passing track is located there.

Pick the Right Cosmetology Program near South Lyon MI

South Lyon MI barber blow drying client's hair Locating and enrolling in the ideal cosmetologist college is essential to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Make certain to organize all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you select are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are prepared to start your career as a professional cosmetologist in South Lyon MI.